Dudley Dursley and the Deathly Hallows
by Grey Streaked Fur
Summary: We all know Harry's story during this time, but did you know that his cousin Dudley also played a part in the war against Voldemort? Find out what happened to the Dudley and his family after they left Privet Drive to go into hiding.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hello everyone! I would like to start off with the fact that this is a revised/edited version of another story I wrote (and have deleted) under the same name. This is because I wanted to edit for punctuation and spelling as well as content. If you have read the previous version of Dudley Dursley and the Deathly Hallows, then you will notice that a lot of chapters have remained very similar to their originals. However, many chapters have undergone extensions with added descriptions, content, and character development.

Due to busy circumstances in my life, I shall be posting each revised/new chapter once a week (on Wednesday/Thursdays.) This will not only give me time to carefully edit each chapter, but allow me time to write the remaining chapters to actually finish this story. My goal is to get this story done in a year. Hopefully, I will not fail you.

So, if you are new to this story, welcome! If you were a previous follower of my older edition, welcome back! Let's have fun with this, shall we?

*Note: This fanfiction is supposed to follow cannon to the Harry Potter series. Dudley's adventure will follow snippets of actual information and dialogue from the books. If you see anything that does not match up to cannon (or is at least, not plausible) let me know, and hopefully I can fix it. I want this to be as close to plausable cannon as possible.*

Thank you! Enjoy and review!

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CHAPTER 1: Marigold Cabin

The Dursley's experience driving in their car with Hestia Jones and Dedalus Diggle was quite an unpleasant experience, if you must know.

Vernon, a large, beefy man that uncannily resembled a walrus (complete with a bushy mustache) was currently driving the family car to a destination unknown to him, for a reason that he still did not completely understand. Each minute that passed seemed to turn his face an even deeper shade of purple. He was being uprooted from his home at 4 Privet Drive, and job at Grunnings, a company which made the highest quality drills in all of the UK, (well at least that is what he would boast about to everyone who asked.) He was even angrier that this insane venture was all because of his strange nephew, Harry Potter, and his lot of abnormal people.

In the passenger's seat sat Hestia, one of those abnormal people, who was giving him directions. Despite Vernon's scoffs and bitter remarks, the woman seemed perfectly capable of ignoring his viciously ill temper.

Petunia sat behind her husband, ignoring everything that was happening in the front seats. She seemed wholly unresponsive to the entire situation, as she was more focused on the passing countryside. The only indication that anything was amiss in her world was her pursed lips that gave the impression she had been forced to eat a very large lemon. Internally, she was in a deep vortex of bitter thoughts and resentment, mostly about her sister Lily, who if it were not for her and her magic, this situation would have never be happening to them. However, she knew this move was necessary to avoid the wrath of a magical madman: she needed to keep her family safe, especially her son, Dudley. She remained deep in thought, and merely sighed when that horrid woman told Vernon to turn, separating them further from their home.

On the other side of the back seat, Dudley Dursley's mind was swimming with questions. Who was that Moldywart man Harry had mentioned before leaving them, and why would he want to kill Harry? Why would they want to hurt him and his family? Would his cousin be on the run? Would they be safe? Would Harry be safe?

Dudley never thought he would have concerned feelings for the skinny runt he used to beat up as a kid, but after those Dementor things attacked them two summers ago, Dudley had began to see his cousin in a new light. He felt some remorse for being so awful to his cousin in the past, and had tried to buck up the courage to make amends - which had failed miserably, as his cousin though the cup of tea he had left at his door was part of some kind of prank. What if he never saw Harry again? What if Harry ended up being killed by the Moldyman? Dudley felt he might never be able to make amends.

He must have looked worried, because the short, little man named Mr. Diggle gave him a comforting pat on the hand. Dudley quickly glanced to see if his parents had witnessed this act. When he realized they hadn't, he gave the magical man a thankful smile. Hadn't the strange guy said they were going to become the best of friends? The guy was a complete nutter, but he seemed nice enough.

Hours passed, making Dudley begin to wonder how far away this hiding spot really was, they had to be on the other side of the UK by now! Finally, after nearly dying of boredom (and starvation). Hestia finally spoke words that were music to his ears.

"Pull the car over here."

Dudley looked up from his window to see the entrance to a scrap yard. The sign was faded beyond all recognition, though he could see the piles of scrap metal and various other junk littered around the lot.

"A scrap yard?!" His father yelled, "What the hell are you planning to do to my car?!"

His volume should have busted the woman's eardrums, but she hardly seemed affected. Hestia answered in a dangerously calm and collected tone.

"We are going to hide your car here, like we planned. A Muggleborn friend of mine owns this place. He's hiding from the Ministry himself, but he is willing to hide your car here while your family is at the safe house. He will not make your car look like...that." She said, nodding to the rusted out truck near the entrance.

His father grumbled the entire time he drove into the small garage in the back of the yard and as his family got out of their car and unloaded their things from the boot. Somehow Hestia managed to keep him calm with reassuring words of her friend's credibility and his car maintenance skills. Dudley gripped his two large duffel bags in confusion and fear. He had been told of what was to come. Mr. Diggle and Hestia would be A-peer-ating them to the safe house, the way they described it sounded like some type of teleportation. He couldn't help but think of Star Trek and having his atoms a taken apart and rearranged. It scared him, but it also sounded kind of cool.

"Ready to go?" Mr. Diggle asked him excitedly, like this teleportation thing was the most enticing thing in the world. Dudley looked wearily at his mother for reassurance. Petunia continued to stare blankly into space, though her body trembled.

"There's nothing to worry about," the small man said, holding out his hand to him. "I was the top of my Apparition class." Dudley edged slightly away from him, not wanting to be apart of this of any of this. He wanted to be back at home watching the telly and eating junk food. He did not want some strange man disappearing and reappearing with him. Before he could make more space between the two of them, Mr. Diggle grabbed his hand with a surprising tightness. Dudley did not have any time to react before blackness consumed him.

Apparition was a dark empty void that he was falling through. He couldn't shout or even breathe in the nothingness around him. And then his feet hit the ground.

A sudden rush of vertigo hit him as the world came back into focus. Dudley felt nauseous, if he had actually eaten anything in the past few hours he probably would have puked his guts out on the dirt path that he was now standing on.

Dazed, he looked up after hearing a loud popping noise. He saw his mother and father appear with a 'pop' out of nowhere with Hestia in between them. Dudley watched his father as he stumbled, looking green. His mother shivered in place, but seemed the most stable of the the three of them. Dudley nervously stood up, shaking the dirt off of his luggage.

He barely was able to pull himself together when his dad began roaring in anger. Dudley jumped in surprise. Not because his father was yelling (which was a pretty common occurrence) but because he was able to recover from the teleportation so quickly.

"A BLOODY SHACK !" he raged " YOU HAD US DRIVE ALL THAT DAMN WAY AND USE YOUR ABNORMALNESS TO BRING US TO STAY IN SOME GOD-FORSAKEN SHACK?" Everyone else jumped at the sheer volume of his voice. And Dudley thought he had been loud in the car.

However, he felt his father's anger was completely justified when he got a good look at what was making his father so angry. All that stood in the middle of an overgrown field was a tiny run down hut, not dissimilar to that old place they stayed at years ago when those... _wizards_ kept sending Harry letters. Dudley made a face, but didn't say anything, he did not want to be turned into a toad or something. He looked over to his mother, she was also silent, but she twitched violently as she looked over the miserable place.

Hestia sighed in annoyance, it was the first time that she every indicated annoyance for being yelled at. She brought out her wand. (Which caused Dudley to flinch, he wasn't sure if he was ever going to get used to magic.) Dedalus followed suit. They whispered a few words under their breaths as the scene in front of them seemed to crumble.

Clear pieces of sky seemed to fall away like shards of glass. Revealing a much different scene hidden behind it. Petunia gasped, Vernon made a funny squeaking noise and Dudley found himself gasping in amazement.

In front of them stood a cottage, free of molding wood and a caving in roof. It was well constructed and looked well cared for, but is was still quite small. There was a cobblestone path leading to the door, wildflowers of every kind surrounded the path. The ones that stood out were large and bright orange, captivating to look at. It wasn't what he would call a home, but it couldn't be too bad, could it?

"Welcome to Marigold Cabin," Dedalus smiled. That act of magic seemed to have silenced Vernon for the moment, but Dudley could tell he was still seething with hatred for, well, everything.

Dudley stood there in silent awe, while his parents expressed many emotions ranging from surprise to utter dislike. While they stood there, unmoving, Mr. Diggle levitated their luggage with one swift moment of his wand. Dudley made sure to quietly thank him when neither of his parents spoke up.

"This way," Hestia said, guiding the group over towards the intricately carved front door. Flowers lined the border and the carved vines seemed to pop out at them, for a moment he thought one of the wooden flower buds bloom, but he supposed it could have just been a trick of the light. Hestia knocked on the door three times.

"Yes?" A muffled voice asked from inside the cabin.

"It's us, Hestia Jones and Dedalus Diggle. We're here with the Dursley family." The witch spoke in a manner Dudley found strangely formal. Instead of the door opening right away, there was a brief pause and the voice spoke up again.

"When I first asked to join the Order, who was the one who vouched for me?"

"Arthur Weasley," Hestia responded. The name seemed familiar to Dudley, but he couldn't seem to place it.

Finally, after that strange exchange of words, the heavy wooden door groaned in protest as it was swung open. A slim figure stood in the doorway.

"You!" Petunia shrieked, causing everyone to stare.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Because I was able to update this chapter so quickly, I decided to post it early. The next chapter will be poster Wednseday/Thursday next week as planned.

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Chapter 2: Secrets and News

"You!" Petunia shrieked. Everyone stared at her in shock at her sudden outburst.

The thin figure stepped out slightly from the shadows of the house out into the lighted outdoors. Dudley was soon staring straight into the eyes of a girl about his age, possibly older. They were large and ink black, and we're framed by bangs of the same dark hair was long and lanky, and it looked a little oily. Her face was thin and bony, her pale skin was almost iridescent against her darker features. She was certainly not the most attractive person he had ever came across.

"Have we met before?" She asked in a slightly drawn out accent that he had been unable to notice when the door was closed. Dudley supposed she was an American. Her pale face was etched with confusion.

All eyes were directed back to Petunia as they waited for an answer.

You...look like the spitting image of...someone I know," she sighed, as though relieved that the girl in front of her was not the person Mrs. Dursley thought she had been.

"Oh, do I?" She sneered. Her expression seemed to twist in disgust, making her look both frightening and unattractive. Dudley didn't know if her anger was towards his mother or the idea of another person looking like her.

Petunia opened and closed her mouth a few times, as though debating whether to continue speaking or not, but apparently she felt it better to keep her mouth shut and refused to say another word. The girl continued to glare at the woman.

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence, he was surprised that the three wizards looked shocked at what his mother said. Who did this girl look like that would create such a violent reaction from his mother? Hestia coughed a second later, breaking some of the tension.

"Miss Peters, would you like to let us in?"

"Oh! Where are my manners?" The girl mumbled before breaking out into a strained smile. "I'm Eve Peters. Welcome!" She finished, stepping out of the way and gestured them in.

Too hesitant to walk in first, he let Hestia and Dedalus lead the way inside. Slowly, he followed behind them as the first of the Dursleys to move forward. His father gruffly followed him with his wife was firmly attached to his arm. When he passed through the open door, he found himself utterly amazed for the second time in less than ten minutes.

The inside was huge, much too big compared to the tiny outside. There was no logical way it was possible. Dudley felt for a fleeting second that maybe magic wasn't all bad as he examined the beautiful polished wood floors. Oil lamps filled the hallway entrance, radiating much more light than he would have expected. As they passed by a large painting of fishermen, Petunia screamed with surprise. It was then that he noticed the men on the little boat were waving at them! Something no normal piece of artwork should do.

"Oh, do Muggle paintings not move?" Dedalus asked the frightened Mrs. Dursley, who was being unsuccessfully comforted by her husband. His father was so angry he looked like he was about to burst. "I was sure I saw some Muggle ones before."

"Those are _movies_ you're thinking of, Mr. Diggle," Eve called from a few feet away. She walked briskly ahead of them, unfazed by their reactions.

"Ah, yes! The moving pictures that tell stories," Mr. Diggle mused, "Well Mrs. Dursley, you have nothing to be afraid of; I assure you those fishermen are quite friendly," the small wizard chirped as he waved back at the painting before continuing.

"First, I'll show you your rooms. Then, I believe a grand tour is in order," he chimed as he escorted them further into the impossibly large cabin.

* * *

Dudley Dursley was awestruck by the tour no matter how much his parents disagreed with him. There had been the kitchen, which was full of delicious smells and dishes that cleaned themselves and a broom that was sweeping the floor on its own accord. The library was full of books and reading chairs, some of the books would soar off the shelves and fly like birds to different locations. Dudley grabbed a large leather bound book off the shelf to inspect it, only to have the book scream insults at him when he tried pry it open. This caused an embarrassing scene of him dropping the book in surprise and his mother running over to mollycoddle him while his dad screamed at the witch for attempting to murder his son. It took more than a few minutes to get everyone settled down.

After that incident he had been reluctant to continue, but was soon glad he didn't, because the next room they went into had become his favorite.

The lounge seemed to be the most inviting; there were several soft looking chairs and sofas seemed to beg to be sat in and a roaring fireplace that seemed to be constantly burning without going out. Dudley would have been lying to himself if he said he wasn't disappointed that there wasn't a television, but that was soon forgotten when he was introduced to the chessboard that was set up in the far corner of the room.

Dudley had never been interested in chess, but once Hestia demonstrated a game of Wizard's Chess, he was hooked. He watched as black night took out a white pawn with the legs of its horse and then dragged its crumbling remains to the edge of the board and discarded it like trash. He almost had to force himself away as the tour continued. He couldn't wait to come back to it and happily took Dedalus's offer to play a round or two after dinner.

"What's that room?" Dudley asked the wizard as he pointed to the dark wooden door between the kitchen and the door back door.

"Oh, that's the cellar. Miss Peters does her potion making down there. She claims that it is too messy and dangerous for us to go down there, so we are not going to go poking around," he shrugged. "The back gardens though, have the most incredible array of flowers…"

The garden did not disappoint if you were into flowers and stuff. Dudley found himself bored with the seemly endless garden of wildflowers. However, his mother did seem more relaxed while the were out there; she probably missed her prize-winning begonias back at home. The most exciting part for Dudley was when Hestia announced that supper would be ready within the hour. He was starving and had been considering taste testing some of the flowers because his stomach wouldn't stop moaning with emptiness. Hestia suggested he return to his room to wash up and settle down before they ate.

Dudley was pleased that his room at Marigold Cabin was roughly the same size as his one at 4 Privet Drive. The walls were constructed out of wood like the rest of the cabin. The equally wooden floor was covered with a soft grey rug. A large wardrobe stood in the far corner of his room, along with a writing desk next to a small window that overlooked the backyard. His bed was large and comfortable. If there was one thing he had to complain about, it was the fact that there was no electricity at all. How was he ever going to be able to get used to a life without television, computers, or video games?

With a sigh, he unpacked a few of his belongings, including his set of lifting weights (which he had decided to pack at last minute) and set them off to the side. He really didn't feel like unpacking everything at the moment. He flopped on the bed in a lazy lump.

Of course, at that moment there was a knock at the door. Dudley let a groan before answering.

"Yeah?"

"Yo, dinners ready!" Eve's accented voice called from the other side of the door.

"I'm coming." Dudley said, his energy restored by the thought of having something to eat.

Pulling himself up, he made his way over to the door and opened it only to discover that Eve was already halfway down the the hall, knocking on his parents door.

"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, dinner is ready," Dudley couldn't help but notice she acted much more formal around the adults.

The dining table was awkwardly quiet that night. Eve had made a delicious beef stew that everyone seemed to enjoy. Even his dad must of liked it because it was the first thing all day he hadn't complained about. Nobody made much noise aside from the occasional slurp and clinking of spoons. However, Dudley did notice that his mother and Eve were exchanging dark glares from across the table. He wondered if it had to do with Petunia's outburst earlier.

Just as everything was being cleared and a chocolate cake was being brought out, a bright, silvery light bounded into the room. Hestia jumped in surprise dropping the cake, which Eve expertly caught i by waving her wand, freezing it in midair.

Once it reached the center of the table, the light formed into the shape of weasel. Dudley and his parent to jump back in fear. Standing on its hind legs, the silvery animal spoke in voice that was vaguely familiar.

"We were intercepted. Somebody knew of the plan. Harry is safe, but Mad Eye is dead. George was injured, but no one else was harmed. Please reply."

With that, the silver weasel dissipated into nothingness. Dedalus frowned and Hestia let out a choking sob. Eve bowed her head in silence, all in lieu of Mad Eye, whoever (or whatever) that was.

Apparently his father, Vernon, didn't pick up on the others' sorrow... or if he did, he didn't care.

"What the ruddy hell was that?"

"It was a Patronus," Hestia hissed with tears pooling in her eyes, though she didn't explain further. If looks could kill, Dudley was sure his dad would be dead on the kitchen floor. He was about to say something more, but Dudley elbowed him to keep him quiet. He didn't want to cause so much trouble on their first day in hiding; he didn't want to be kicked out while the Mouldy guy was still lurking around.

"At least Harry and the others are safe," Dedalus sniffed, embracing his friend. Hestia hiccuped and nodded.

"I think dessert should be saved for tomorrow," Eve whispered, levitating the cake over to the counter top. "And I think it would be a good idea if we turned in for the night," she with a tone that was not a request.

To Dudley's surprise, his mother nodded. His mother may have hated everything to do with magic, but she appeared to understand grief and calmly agreed with the tall girl's suggestion.

Ten minutes later, Dudley was laying quietly in his room as he gazed out the window. Thinking about nothing in particular, he watched as a silver form of a goose floated off into the night sky. Soon, he was asleep.

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A/N: Hope you enjoyed. Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Chapter is up and ready. Enjoy and review!

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Chapter 3: Similarities and Differences

Nearly a week had gone by since the Dursley's had began their lives at Marigold Cabin, and Dudley Dursley didn't feel that they had gotten off to a good start. Everything seemed to have come to a hault after the death of Mad Eye (which he still had no clue who or what that was).

Mr. Dursley was always yelling or complaining about something and mainly confined himself to his bedroom. He only ventured out for meals, which usually only lead to more complaining. Poor Hestia seemed to have developed a twitch in her left eye over the course of seven days. Dudley felt it must have taken her a lot of inner strength to refrain from turning his father into a rabbit.

His mother hadn't said much in the past couple of days; she kept to herself most of the time with her husband inside their room, but she sometimes could be found out in the kitchen, sipping on a cup of hot tea and staring out the window that overlooked the back garden.

Dudley spent most of his time in the lounge playing chess with Dedalus. So far, he was the only one Dudley was comfortable being around. When he wasn't doing that, he would nap on one of the the incredibly comfortable sofas, exercise with his weights, or take a stroll around the garden and skip rocks in the tiny pond. Things had quickly become dull routine for him.

That was why he was happy now. This afternoon when he was taking a walk down the familiar path of the garden, he found he was not alone. There, in one of the tallest patches of wildflowers, was Eve. She was waving her wand around like a knife, cutting the stems of certain flowers that she was choosing carefully. Dudley proceeded with caution, hoping the magical stick didn't accidentally sever him in half.

Dudley hadn't seen Eve all week - excluding supper - which everyone attended. She seemed to keep to herself and hardly conversed with the other magical residents of the cabin, let alone his family.

"What are you doing?" He asked, finding his voice.

Eve looked up, not even bothering to push back the stringy black hair that was covering her eyes. Her robes were splattered with dirt and stem piece.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. Dudley scowled. When Eve did speak, it was usually biting or laced with sarcasm.

"Okay, why are you picking flowers?" He asked after rolling his eyes.

"I'm doing Arthur a favor," she replied as she cut the stem of a light pink flower.

"Arthur...that guy that stood up for you or whatever?" Dudley asked, remembering their first encounter at the front door of Marigold Cabin. He briefly wondered why that Weasel guy was the only one who had been willing to vouch for her to be part of the Order thingy. After all, she seemed like such a _charming_ person.

"The same," she mumbled, finally moving some of her hair out of her eyes. "Could you pick that pale yellow one right next to you for me?" Dudley thought about walking away, but after an internal debate, he on yanked the yellow wildflower from the ground and handed it over to her. The girl nodded in approval and motioned for another one.

"Why does he need flowers?" He asked, pulling out another flower of a similar color to hand to her.

"His son, Bill, is getting married soon and they need some for the wedding," she examined a red one she had just cut and tossed it away. "What better place to get floral decorations than here?"

After a few minutes of assisting, Eve determined that they had enough. She held the large bouquet with her left arm and pointed her wand at them.

"Conservro," she muttered while tracing a pattern over over the bushel. They shimmered in the light for a second before returning to normal, looking no different than before.

"What did you just do?" Dudley asked, backing away in case they exploded or something.

"I put a preservation charm on them. The wedding is next week and some of these flowers have a short blooming season. Picking them now ensures the best bouquet I can produce."

"Oh," Dudley breathed unsure of what else to say.

"I'll be taking these ins-!" Eve managed to say before falling into the weeds and completely out of view. He heard her grumble some choice words before sitting up on her knees.

"Are you alright?" He asked, unsure whether to go over and help or laugh at how disheveled she looked.

"Yeah, but I was tripped by this little demon," Eve explained and held up a small, wrinkly humanoid form by the ankle. It was rapidly attempting to bite her with its sharp, brown teeth.

"Uggg! What is that?" Dudley frowned, repulsed by the ugly creature.

"It's a garden gnome. They're pretty harmless, but incredibly annoying," Eve deadpanned. He looked at the thing in moderate surprise, weren't gnomes supposed to have white beards and wear colorful hats? Then again, he used to think that witches all looked like the one from the Wizard of Oz.

"Humph, I thought Mr. Diggle said he de-gnomed the garden before setting up the barriers. I suppose he missed a few," she mused a moment over the thing before giving it a good toss. They watched it sail through the air and fall into another pile of weeds on the other side of the garden.

"Nice throw." Dudley squinted as he watched the ugly creature get up and run deeper into the growth.

"Thanks," Eve said as she examined the flowers in her arms for any damage, "Five years of softball helps," she said while dusting herself off a bit.

Dudley couldn't help but stare. He hadn't expected that the young witch had ever done anything normal, like playing a sport. She obviously noticed his reaction and gave him a smirk.

"What, you didn't think I ever participated in sports? Not all witches and wizards grew up in a world of magic, " she scoffed. He thought about his cousin for a moment and felt a bit foolish in his thinking.

"I'm sorry I just thought..." Eve held up a hand, cutting him off.

"Don't worry about it; we all make assumptions," she shrugged, her tone of voice lightened slightly. He nodded as they both started walking back to the cabin.

"Do you play any sports?" Eve asked, shifting the bouquet in her arms.

"I did some wrestling and a bit of boxing in school."

"Really? What division?" She asked as Dudley opened the door for them. Together they walked inside to continue their conversation.

* * *

The two of them had been sitting in the lounge talking for the past hour about sports. Well, mostly Dudley talked about his favorite teams, players, and moves while Eve just nodded. Apparently, she didn't know much about sports outside of softball, but she seemed interested enough at what he had to say.

"I think you would really like Quidditch," she said after he had passionately explained the rules of football (which she had refused to call it anything but soccer.)

"Is that a... _magic_ al sport?"

"Mmhm, played on brooms."

"You mean like flying?"

Eve nodded and began to describe the sport, she rushed to the library to grab a book titled ' _Quidditch Through the Ages_ '. She showed him pictures of quaffles, brooms, and little things called Snitches. Eve explained that the book could tell him anything he ever wanted to know about the sport, claiming she was not the best source of information for this subject, as she had never really played it herself.

After a half hour of leafing through the book and discussing the magical sport, Dudley set the book aside and promised himself that he would read the rest later before bed. Eve had been right, he did find Quidditch interesting; it was like football and hockey played in the air. What could be cooler than that?

"We should probably check to see if dinner is ready. Mr. Diggle is making some of his famous meat pies," she suggested after checking the time on her watch. "I think he trying to lift the mood a bit with some fantastic home-cooked food."

Dudley though about how sad the wizards had been the past week; even Dedalus had been less smiley than before. Mustering a bit of courage, he finally had the guts to ask the question that had been bugging him all week.

"Who was Mad Eye?"

Eve stared at him for a moment, giving him a grimace.

"His real name was Alastor Moody, Mad Eye was his nickname. I only met him a few times. He was a bit terrifying; he had a creepy eye that could see through walls and stuff, but from what I heard he was good at his job. Nobody could hunt down dark wizards like he could. He was an important member of the Order and was well liked by most everyone in it," she sighed. "I can't imagine how awful this must be for Hestia and Dedalus; they have known him for such a long time,"

Dudley felt bad for them and his thoughts wandered towards Harry for a moment. The threat of death had become very real. That man had died trying to stop the bad guys. _What if the same happened to Harry?_ He expressed his concerns to his new friend. Eve frowned.

"I think it's time someone told you about your cousin," she whispered as she began to relay the tale that everyone in the wizarding world knew. Much like Eve had been when he had been explaining football, Dudley sat quietly and listened. Horror and fear filled him as the story progress to his school life and the heroic things he had done in his six years at Hogwarts.

"Did you know Harry well?" he asked sadly, feeling horrible for his cousin. He hoped that Harry at least knew nicer people at school than he ever did when he was with the Dursley's.

"Me? No, I've never even met him, I went to the Ilvermorny Institute in North America. I just know of his famous adventures like the rest of the magical world,"

"Oh," Dudley said. He never really thought about other magical places around the world. He wondered how many people on earth were really witches and wizards.

Just then Dedalus Diggle poked his head into the room, "Dinner is ready!" he said in the most cheerful tone he could manage. The two teens exchanged glances before following the old man into the kitchen.

* * *

That night Dudley tried to read ' _Quidditch Through the Age_ s', but his mind was too occupied to give it much attention. Angrily, he threw the book on the floor and tossed over in his bed. His mind kept wandering to the story of Harry at the Tri-Wizard Tournament and the death of Cedric Diggory.

He remembered teasing his cousin about his nightmares a few years back and felt sick to his stomach. He had been poking fun at the death of a person that Harry had witnessed with his own eyes. Dudley had never felt such self loathing before. He restlessly slept that night; when he dreamed, he dreamed of a graveyard and his cousin mourning the death of his classmate.

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A/N: Stay tuned for next week's chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: A big thank you to my readers and though who have commented on my work. I love feedback!

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Chapter 4: Potions and Problems

"Look alive!"

Dudley turned at the voice, only to be hit square in the face by a decorative couch pillow. He groaned quietly and sank back into the sofa he was sitting on, too tired to care much. He had spent the night hardly sleeping. When he had fallen asleep, his dreams were plagued by nightmares that he couldn't remember when he woke up, though Harry was always the first thing on his mind. His guilt over his cousin and how he was treated by his family- by _him -_ swam around in his mind.

"Rough night?" Eve asked, plopping down next to him. Dudley managed to nod.

"Up reading?" She asked in a tone of understanding. Of course she would be the type to spend so much time reading that she would become sleep deprived.

"Oh, no. I was just thinking about everything you told me yesterday."

"Oh," Eve said, her tone changing slightly.

"Everything Harry has gone through, having to fight some evil wizard... and I bullied him in between it all," Dudley grumbled, trying to stifle a yawn.

"I figured that was the case," Eve shrugged, flicking a fuzz off the arm of the sofa.

"What's that supposed to mean exactly?" Dudley spat, insulted. Eve was pissing him off and his lack of sleep was just making him even more irritable.

"You look like the bullying type," she replied with a smirk. Obviously she knew she was getting under his skin. He wasn't in the mood.

"I used to take lunch money from nerds like you."

They stared at each other silently, Eve's face was expressionless. Finally, she snorted and nodded in approval. "Ah touché, you're certainly are right about that," Her expression quickly changed, and she suddenly spoke with a serious tone. "But all that bullying is the past now, right?" she asked, studying him.

"Yes," he found himself saying. The Dementors had mostly put an end to that. Sure, he had still put on a rough demeanor around the twerps at Smeltings, but he had never punched another kid after that day. He yawned again, no longer trying to cover it.

"You want some coffee?" She asked. Dudley shook his head. "Of course, you Brits drink tea," Eve smirked, "Would you like a cup?" He nodded, just to get a moment of peace. Eve got up and headed to the kitchen.

Dudley laid down on the sofa, tired, but still unable to stop his mind from buzzing. He wondered if his cousin and him could start anew, maybe if and when all this crazy stuff was over...If Harry made it out alive. Dudley shuddered.

Eve came back a few minutes later with a steaming cup of tea in her hands. She handed him the tea, which he took graciously and mumbled a 'thank you' before taking a large, tongue-burning gulp. He made a face, he had forgotten to ask for sugar and cream. Eve, however, didn't seem to notice.

They talked for a few minutes. Dudley explained his worries more in detail; he told the witch about his horrible treatment towards his cousin and the time they encountered the Dementors, but mostly he spoke of regret and wanting to make amends. Eve only listened, she did not speak. She even remained silent for an awkward amount of time after he had finished.

"I see what you can't change the way you treated him, but you can apologize for it. Even if by some chance..." Eve paused for a moment, like she was uncertain how to continue, "...you _don't_ get to see Harry again to apologize, the best thing you can do is to accept the consequences of your actions and make sure not treat someone like that again." Silence filled the room. Dudley pondered what she said. It was a grim truth.

"Well," Eve said, breaking the silence. She looked anxiously at her watch. "I'll see you later, I have a potion to brew," she muttered, getting up to leave. Dudley nearly choked on his tea. The first things to come to mind were poisons and brews that turned people into newts and stuff.

"What kind of potion?" he whispered, not sure if he would like the answer.

"One for migraines. Hestia and I both get them on occasion, but we ran out after Hestia used the whole damn bottle in a week," They both shared a smile, it seemed that the witch had become infected with Vernonitis. Eve stood there and stared at him.

"Would... you like to join me?" She asked in a voice that Dudley supposed was as timid as the girl could actually was surprised. He had not been expecting an invitation to such an activity.

"Are you sure?" he asked before taking another sip of the hot beverage.

"Yeah, come on. It will be good to do something that will keep your mind busy. I'll even show you how to make one if you would like. You don't usually need magic to make a potion," Eve pointed out. Dudley sighed.

"Sure, I guess I'll give it a try."

Eve smiled for the first time that he had seen. It was a true, pearly white grin. The smile made her look kinder and even a bit pretty. He wondered why she didn't smile more often.

* * *

"Alright, now add a vial of crushed wolfsbane," Eve finished, closing the large Potions book. Dudley poured the contents of the small, glass tube into the bubbling pot in front of him. He had never expected when he agreed to join her that he would actually be helping her make the same concoction that she and Hestia were going to drink. Eve claimed he would learn better by doing than just observing.

"Now we just let it simmer for about five minutes and we are done," Eve said peering into the cauldron, "Not bad at all rookie, you did better than most second years," she laughed, patting him on the shoulder.

"Really?" Dudley asked, feeling quite accomplished at the moment. Eve gave him another toothy smile as a reply. "I would like to learn more sometime," he said after they collected the potion in a large bottle.

Eve was smiling so much Dudley wondered if her face would get stuck like that.

Not that that was a bad thing.

* * *

The next few days the two of them spent their mornings brewing, Dudley found it be be pretty okay, it beat sitting around doing nothing all day, that was for sure. It wasn't exciting like wizard's chess, but it was more fun than any class he had to sit through in school.

Sometimes the potion they were making would require time to settle. In that time, Eve would tell him about classes that she had taken, explaining them in the most basic terms so that he could understand them better.

"Last year, my final year, I had Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, and Herbology," she said, counting off on her fingers. "At my school, the last two years you pick certain classes for whatever field you want to go into."

"What do you want to do?"

"Become a Healer," Eve answered, Dudley nodded. He had learned that Healers were essentially magical doctors. "Or possibly open my own Apothecary, selling potion ingredients and such," she explained.

Dudley felt his stomach grumble, he had not eaten this morning. He had been so distracted with helping Eve that he had actually forgotten to eat. Eve seemed to have heard it and chuckled.

"The Burn Healing potion still has another twenty minutes to sit before we can continue, would you like me to go make us some toast?"

"That would be great," Dudley's stomach growled in agreement.

"Alright, be back in a few."

Dudley sat watching the potion for a minute or so. His eyes wandered around the small cellar that he hadn't been in until the other day. He spotted some newt eyes floating in a jar and a large sack of Gerdy roots, nothing really interesting. Bored, he flipped through the book _Potions: Year Two,_ mindlessly glancing at some of the moving pictures. As he flicked through the Acknowledgment pages, he found a picture that made him do a double take.

A picture of a hauntingly familiar man stared up at him. Unlike some of the other credited wizards and witches, he did not wave to the viewer. Instead, he glared up at Dudley with dark, black eyes with a cold and expressionless stare. His hair was black and lanky, his build tall and slim; he looked exactly like Eve,(or more like she looked like him, minus the hooked nose.) The caption underneath the photo read:

 _Severus Snape_

 _Potions Master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

 _Graciously revised and edited the North American Potions Books Years 1-3 textbooks._

Dudley gaped down at the man who merely sneered in return. Dudley had a feeling that this man had something to do with his mother's first reaction of seeing Eve. But how would his mother know this wizard? Eve had to be related to this man, their similarities were too strong to be a coincidence.

"What are you doing?"

Dudley jumped nearly a foot in the air; Eve stood behind him with her arms folded. He couldn't seem to figure out how she had managed to walk in without him hearing her. She did not look very happy. Her expression mimicked the scowl of the man on the table.

"Just looking at this Potions book...Do you know him?" Dudley asked, pointing to the sneering picture.

Eve's eyes narrowed and hesitate before speaking.

"No." Her voice was anything but convincing.

"Are you su-"

"Yes!" She all but yelled, her voice echoing in the small cellar. They stared at each other in a heated silence until Eve cleared her throat. Her rage was replaced by a cool, expressionless mask. Her eyes glared at him, mirroring the intense gaze of Severus Snape's photo.

"I think you should stop brewing for today. I'll take care of the rest."

Dudley hardly had anytime to object before he was being forced out of the small room. The cellar door slammed shut behind him. He looked over his shoulder once before walking away.

What was so taboo about this Snape guy, why would Eve deny being related to him, and how was his mother involved in all of this?

* * *

A/N: Ah, the plot thickens. Tune in next week for more!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Let's get some action in this story! Onward!

* * *

Chapter 5: Brooms and Wedding Blues

Hestia and Dedalus were all in a tizzy over the wedding of Mr. Weasley's son Bill and his fiancée, Fleur, even though they could not attend. Which Dudley thought was a bit stupid.

They reminisced over the once little Weasley boy that was now grown and ready to marry. Hestia was even making a special dinner that night with champagne to toast the new couple. Which Dudley _really_ thought was stupid.

Eve wasn't as excited about the wedding as she claimed not to know the bride and groom like the other two wizards did, but she was a bit perkier than usual. She was a little giddy over the fact that some of the flowers she had picked were going to be part of the bride's bouquet and she seemed quite proud of herself.

Dudley was glad that the other day's events seemed to have been forgotten; Eve was acting as usual and didn't seem to be angry with him. Dudley was riddled with curiosity, but had no intention of making her angry again any time soon, so he was pretending to forget the whole thing as well. This fact was solidified when Eve agreed to play a game of Wizard's Chess with him. While they played, she made idle chit chat.

"Hestia says they are planning on having dinner outside tonight," Eve mentioned over their game. (And though Dudley would not admit it, she was definitely winning.) She kept on talking after that, but he had stopped listening.

"Hmm," he shrugged, not looking up from the board. "Pawn to G three," The black pawn moved to the open space to protect his queen. The queen was shouting up to him about his lack of strategy, claiming it would have been better to move her out of the way instead. His other pieces were nodding and called out in agreement.

"She _is_ right you know," Eve chuckled, "Rook to B seven...Check." The castle moved over a space, ready to attack his king.

"Err...king to A one..." Dudley sighed, not sure what to do at this point. His pieces groaned in protest. As much as he liked this game, he wasn't very good at it.

Eve gave a sly smile as she looked at the board. "Bishop to G seven, and I believe that is checkmate."

Dudley's king threw his sword to ground in anger as his queen yelled at Dudley for blocking her in. He cringed at her high pitched voice. Annoyed, he scooped up his screaming pieces and shoved them in a drawer.

Eve leaned back in her chair with a content look on her face.

"So, do you want to help set up?"

"Huh?" Dudley said with a confused look on his face, realizing that he probably should have paid attention to what she had been saying. Eve rolled her eyes.

"Come on," she grumbled. She roughly grabbed him by the shirt sleeve and dragged him out of the room.

* * *

Dudley watched as Eve transformed a rather large stone from the back yard into an outdoor table. He watched in both amazement and fear as the rock morphed into a plain grey table. When he gathered up the courage to touch it and found that it still had a stone-like texture.

"Hmmm," She mused looking at her work, "I think we should get some real chairs. I personally don't think I can make some comfortable chairs from rocks." Dudley nodded in agreement while he continued to brush his hand against the transfigured table.

"Go see if there is some in the shed we can fix up; that certainly would be easier. I'm going to see if Hestia needs help in the kitchen/" With that, Eve walked off, leaving him alone.

Dudley groaned; he was not used to doing household duties or any laboring tasks. Eve apparently realized this and had developed a habit of setting him up into doing things to help out with chores. It wasn't the first time she had done it and he had a feeling it wouldn't be the last. He muttered to himself angrily as he trudged over to the tiny shed in the far corner of the back yard.

It took two good pulls to force the door open and it creaked loudly as it swung outward. It was dusty, small, and home to numerous cobwebs. His first reaction was to flee the disgusting little space, but he took a step in to locate any chairs. A quick once-over told him there were none. Dudley groaned again, annoyed that he walked all the way there for nothing. Irritated, he turned to leave, but stopped.

There, right next to the door, were a few old brooms leaning against the slowly rotting wood of the door frame. They looked different from the regular sweeping ones he was used to. They had to be Quidditch brooms like the ones in the book he read! He wondered if Muggles could fly them.

Anxious, he grabbed one. He was disappointed when nothing happened (then again he wasn't sure what to expect.) He thought that it might work if he tried to use it. Stepping outside with the old broom, he looked around to make sure no one had come outside or could see him from the back windows. If it didn't work, he would just throw the stupid thing back into the shed and no one would be the wiser.

Quickly, he grasped the broom like he had read in the book and placed one hand over the other. Then he mounted it, just like he recalled the moving picture on page twelve. Double checking to make sure nobody was around, he jumped.

Next thing he knew, he was shooting past the rest of the world and he couldn't seem to stop. Dudley shot past two trees and straight through a bunch of weeds, but he was not slowing down. He tried to scream, but no sound came out.

"Hey did you find any chairs?" Eve called as she turned the corner to the back yard, just as Dudley flew past her, narrowly missing her head.

"WOAH! Watch it!" she called out behind him. The broom seemed to be going faster than before. He attempted to steer it around or even into the ground, anything that would just get him to stop!

"Hey, be careful! You're headed straight towards that-" there was a loud unpleasant crunching sound. "-tree ," she finished, running over to help him.

* * *

Dudley considered himself lucky that he only had giant bruises that covered the outside of both his arms, which he had used to block the rest of his body. The ancient broom was little more than splinters after it collided with the large oak tree.

He and Eve had managed to sneak in without his parents noticing the state of his arms, which they both know would have lead to chaos. They figured the last thing they needed today was roaring Vernon and a sobbing Petunia.

"Here," Eve tossed a bottle full of brownish liquid at him once they reached the cellar."This should take care of that monstrosity forming on your arms."

"What am I supposed to do exactly?" He asked as he unstopped the bottle. It smelt terrible and he refused to put that stuff anywhere near his mouth.

"Rub it on the bruises, dummy," Eve told him, slamming the cupboard doors that held numerous other potions and ingredients.

Reluctantly he poured some of the muddy substance into his hand. _Disgusting!_ Dudley thought. Hesitantly, he took a small handful and slathered it onto one of his injured arms. As he rubbed, it began to sink into his skin. The affected area tingled slightly and the pain in his arm slowly disappeared; the bruise that was forming seemed to have vanished. Amazed, he began doing the same to the other one.

"I didn't think it would actually fly for me." He said, stoppering the bottle when he finished.

"It must have been a very old model, possibly even home made. Nearly half a century ago there was a law passed that all brooms needed to have a charm that protected No-Mag's from their rogue magic," Eve replied. She took the now half empty bottle from him and placed it back in the cupboard. "It should be mentioned somewhere in that book I gave you."

"I guess I haven't gotten that far yet," Dudley said, regretting that he didn't finish reading ' _Quidditch through the Ages'_ before hopping on a broom.

"I take it there weren't any chairs in the shed?" Eve asked, seemingly remembering why she had sent him there in the first place.

"No."

"Damn, well I guess I'll ask Dedalus to conjure some up some chairs," Dudley heard her mumble something else about hating to ask for help.

* * *

Hestia and Dedalus seemed to have gone all out on their little dinner that had made. There was turkey, potatoes, biscuits, and gravy, as well as a wide array of vegetables. Dudley was starving when they sat down to eat dinner. It was delicious.

Everyone seemed in good spirits, even his parents were more pleasant than usual. Well, at least his father was barely complaining and his mother wasn't making too many snide remarks.

There was plenty of conversation going on as well. Hestia and Eve were listening to an over excited Dedalus as he described a humorous moment at a wedding he had been to years ago, while his parents were quietly scoffing at them. Dudley took this opportunity to add seconds to his plate.

After everyone had eaten a filling amount, (topped with a piece of blackberry pie) his parents got up and left. They looked at Dudley, expecting him to follow. Not wanting to cause a scene on a day like this, he shuffled behind them and gave the others a sympathetic look before heading inside. He held open the door for his parents, being the last to enter the cabin. The last thing he heard before closing the door behind him was Dedalus's voice.

"A toast! To the new bride and groom, we wish them the best!"

* * *

Dudley sat on his bed, lifting a weight with one hand while he held the Quidditch book with the other. He switched on and off until the daylight trickled away. When there was no longer enough light to read by he set down the book. He wondered if they were still celebrating outside.

He glanced at his digital wristwatch; it was 9:32 pm on July 31st. He stared at the date for a moment, feeling that it should ring a bell, but he couldn't put his finger on it. With a sigh, Dudley got up and headed over to his dresser to change for bed. It may have been early, but the whole flying incident had worn him out.

Just as he was about to crawl under the covers, he caught movement from the corner of his eye. He turned to the window to see another silvery light, not dissimilar to the one he saw his first night at Marigold Cabin, only this one was in the form of some type of cat. He had a sinking feeling that it was bringing the small group outside some bad news.

A few minutes later, he heard the front door slam and the sound of hushed crying and frantic whispers. Unsure whether to check it out or not, Dudley just sat there listening to the depressing sounds fade to the other side of the home.

It was then that he remembered that July 31st was Harry's birthday.

He hoped his cousin was okay.

* * *

Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, as I enjoyed writing it. I thought it would be fun to have Dudley in a situation where he really wants to do something magical, even though he fails miserably. I'll have chapter six up next week!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: A Changing World

It was the stickiest, muggiest, most horrid August 1st that Dudley Dursley could recall. He hadn't slept very well the night before. His mind had been racing all night, refusing to let him sleep until the early hours of the morning. He awoke only a few hours later to the bright sun peering in his window. Dudley groaned as he looked down at his watch; it was just after ten in the morning and already the air was hot and heavy.

Knowing that there was no way he was going to fall back asleep in this weather, he peeled the sheets off of his sweaty arms and crawled out of bed. Even the smooth wood floor he stepped onto was unusually warm on the bottom of his feet. He wiped the perspiration that had formed on his forehead off and licked his incredibly dry lips. Thirsty, still tired, and already in a bad mood, Dudley stumbled to the kitchen feeling more parched than he ever had been in his life.

Entering the kitchen, he saw the rest of the residents at Marigold cabin had already inhabited the small room. And all of them- aside from his parents- looked like they hadn't slept at all. Hestia's normally well kept hair was a frizzy mess, barely maintained by a ribbon. She glanced at Dudley as he walked in, but didn't even attempt to greet him.

Dedalus looked years older, his wrinkles were more prominent and the usually permanent smile he had was reduced to a very depressing frown. Eve appeared to be the least affected of the three, but there were still dark circles under her eyes. Dudley was also pretty certain that she had on the same clothing as yesterday.

Dudley sat down at the table next to his mum. She smiled weakly up at him, but didn't speak. His mind, sluggish from lack of sleep, slowly remembered the Patronus that he had seen last night. He knew it had to be the source of whatever was going on. Dudley glanced over at his father; he was the only one eating breakfast, but even he remained silent. He knew something was wrong if even his father was quiet. Dudley sat there a few moment, waiting for someone to tell him what was happening, or to just say anything, something that would at least ease the tension radiating in the room. He waited a few more painfully long minutes, looking around at everyone. Nobody said a word.

Already in a bad mood and unable to take the uncomfortable silence any longer, Dudley angrily got out of his chair. It made a terrible scratching sound across the wood floor and he stormed out of the room. Dudley figured if nobody was going to tell him anything, then they could stick it where the sun didn't shine. He heard his mum call after him, but he callously ignored her.

Dudley walked to his bedroom. Hot, tired, moody, and now angry, he grabbed a change of clothes and headed towards the bathroom at the end of the hall. Maybe things would get better if he took a shower.

* * *

Hours later, he lay in the back garden under a tree. It was the same one he had crashed into the day before, and there were bits of bark missing off the trunk at the impact site. Surprisingly, the outdoors were cooler because of the breeze while the inside remained stuffy and sweltering. Apparently wizards didn't believe in air conditioning.

Dudley had been avoiding everyone since this morning. He figured most people would say he was pouting over the fact that he was being left in the dark, but he felt it was just an easy form of expression. No matter which way someone looked at it, Dudley was just glad he didn't have to deal with anyone on such disgusting day. "So what if I'm being left out of some obviously critical knowledge?" Dudley thought bitterly. He didn't care anymore.

 _"Just keep telling yourself that,_ " he said to himself as he rolled over to fiddle with his small hand-held radio that he had had since he was a kid. It was the only electronic thing he owned that seemed to work in the presence of magic, but instead of the usual boring weather forecast or football station, the thing picked up Quidditch matches and weird songs he had never heard before,which all seemed to be hosted by the Wizarding Wireless Network. He had become used to the strange topics, but he couldn't ignore the fact that he could never find the same shows on the same stations; they always seemed to be changing.

He eventually found a clear station between 101 and 102. It was some political guy talking about political things. The same as regular politics; it was just as boring but with magic. He was about to reach to find a different station when he registered what the man was saying. He froze in his tracks.

 _"- and the Ministry of Magic will not rest until we have captured Harry Potter and questioned him for the murder of Albus Dumbledore."_

The voice then changed over to another man's voice. It was deep and wheezy while the prior one had been strong and defined.

 _" That was the new Minister Thicknesse; cracking down on vigilantes and magic stealing Muggleborns. He will strive to keep the wizarding country safe during such a dark time. I'm Zachariah Bulstrode, here at the Ministry. Good day, everyone._ "

The channel dropped off into static, but Dudley didn't stick around to hear it. He ran towards the cabin, leaving the small device amongst the blades of grass.

Dudley bolted through the front door, as fast as his large form could move. He still wasn't all that great of a runner and the heat of the day made it all the more difficult. By the time he reached the kitchen, he was out of breath and a tad dizzy. His mother and Hestia, the only ones in the room at the moment, both jumped as he came barreling through the door.

"What's wrong sweetie?" his mother cried.

"Harry...wanted...murder..." Dudley wheezed as she rushed over to him.

"Sit down in the chair dear, I'll get you something to drink," she said as she guided him to sit down in her own seat. His mother turned to walk to the sink, only to find that Hestia had prepared and levitated a glass of water without ever leaving the table. Dudley watched as his mother scoffed at the witch and the floating glass. Petunia seized the drink and threw it to the ground. It shattered into shimmering pieces all over the kitchen floor.

"I am perfectly capable of getting my own son a drink," she spat venomously at Hestia, who simply shrugged as though she had no desire to start a woman sighed and waved her wand; the shards of glass sprung up from the ground and stuck themselves back together..

"Here, sweetie," his mum said, holding a new glass in front of him. He graciously took it from her and gulped it down; water had never tasted so good. Though he couldn't help but feel annoyed that his mother had destroyed a perfectly fine cup of water just in spite of magic. "Now tell mummy what's wrong," she cooed.

Dudley couldn't help but roll his eyes in mild disgust; one thing he could not stand about his mother was that she seemed to think that he was perpetually five years old. Years ago he used to use that to his advantage, but now it was just plain annoying. Ignoring it like he usually did, he answered her.

"I was listening to the Wiz-errr, _their_ radio, when some guy began talking about Harry and how he was wanted for murder. But they're wrong; I thought everyone knew he didn't do that! I thought he was a hero. What is going on?" he managed to say all in one breath.

Petunia Dursley just stared at her son as she went slightly pale.

"Don't worry about it Dudders, it's just som-"

"No."

The two of them turned to Hestia, her fists were clenched in anger. Apparently, she would not stand for his mother's lying either. She rose her glaring eyes from the far side of the table to the pair of them.

"No," she repeated," There is something wrong and he deserves to know just as much as you do," Dudley couldn't help but smile at her; at least someone didn't think he was an ignorant child.

His mother looked both baffled and outraged by her sudden outburst. She placed a hand protectively on Dudley's shoulder.

"Dudley, let's head back to our rooms, that last thing you need is to be worried over something that doesn't affect us."

At her words Dudley swatted her hand away, "Even if it doesn't directly, it still affects Harry. I have to know what is going on," Obviously it affected the wizards of Marigold Cabin, and they were the ones keeping his family safe. There was no way he could not be affected by this news. Hestia gave him a look he had never seen her give to him before. It was an expression of hope, as though she had seen something something profound. Dudley wasn't completely sure what she was seeing.

"Please mum," he whispered hoarsely, "I'm not a little kid anymore," She looked down at him, her expression unreadable. Finally, she gave him a curt nod, silently admitting her defeat. With a frazzled look, his mother quickly scurried out of the room, apparently not wanting to hear the witch's story.

Hestia cleared her throat and told him everything that was happening outside of their cabin's walls.

* * *

He was outside again and underneath the same tree he had been earlier. His radio remained off in the grass a few feet from him. The evening had brought slightly cooler weather; the muggy, sticky grossness of the afternoon was being disrupted by a very nice breeze. It felt good to be outside and away from everyone else.

Dudley hadn't spoken to another person the rest of the day, he had spent the entire afternoon out in the garden trying to grasp the reality of what was happening in the outside world. If Voldemort has taken over the British wizarding world, then what was stopping him from destroying the Muggle one? What would happen to all those innocent people that would die, never understanding what was even happening? Should he be lucky or unfortunate for knowing what was probably to come for his world?

"Mind if I join you?"

Dudley jerked upright, looking straight into the familiar pair of black eyes. Eve stared down at him, her arms folded. She had changed her clothing at some point and was actually wearing normal shorts and a black t-shirt.

"...No..."

Eve plopped down in the grass next to him and they stared at the slowly darkening sky for a while. They watched as the stars started to come out. Eve took this opportunity to point out certain constellations while Dudley only half listened. He wondered why even at a time like this, that Eve was still trying to teach him things. He snapped at her after getting sick of her voice, which instantly shut her up. They spent the rest of their sky watching in silence, leaving him more time to think. It had to have been at least an hour before Dudley found some of his thoughts escaping.

"Do you think my cousin is okay?" He asked. Eve turned her head towards the source that broke the silence. She stared directly into his eyes for a moment, making him suddenly feel uncomfortable. Relief filled him when she turned her gaze back to the heavens. She didn't answer for several minutes.

"I don't see why not," Dudley watched as she sat up and got to her feet. "Obviously he hasn't been captured by Death Eaters, that world have been known publicly by now. Besides, he seems to be quite the survivor. I'm sure he and his friends have found a place to lay low for awhile."

"What happens if Harry is caught?" he asked, getting up to join her back inside the cabin. Eve looked him in the eye a second time; this time her own eyes held a mix of sorrow and fear.

"Then pray to whatever you believe in that that doesn't happen." His stomach dropped.

"It's going to get worse from here on out, isn't it?"

"Yes," Eve said without hesitation. "I have a feeling it will, before this all ends."

"Don't you mean if it ends?"

"No," she whispered as they approached the back end of the cabin. The lights from the kitchen pooled light onto the grass in front of them. "Something will end in this war, the horrible question is: What will be ended?"

The evening had cooled down the mugginess of the day slightly and Dudley was thankful for that. The two of them parted ways in the hall. Instead of returning to her room, Eve opened the cellar door.

"Aren't you going to bed?" He asked.

"No. I have a few projects I am working on. Plus the cellar is way cooler than the rest of the cabin," Eve said with a sigh or relief.

"Would you mind if I hung around for a while? I'd like to sit down someplace where I'm not sweating like crazy," Dudley found himself asking before thinking.

Eve gave him a smile like she was entertaining the idea for a moment, but her expression quickly changed as she seemed to notice something behind him.

"Go to bed Dudley. Try to get some sleep," She ushered before shutting the cellar door in his face. Dudley looked over his shoulder. His mother stood by his bedroom door, waiting for him.

"What's wrong mum?" He asked as he stepped closer and saw the look of rage on her face.

"I know you miss your school friends Dudley, and I know she is your age, but I want you to stay away from her. She...she is not someone you want to make friends with," His mother's tone was incredibly serious, she was whispering like she was talking about a life or death issue with him.

"Eve isn't bad once you get to know her. She is actually kinda-"

His mother held up a hand to him, silencing his protests. Dudley was taken aback, his mother had never silenced him before. He was not used to being confronted by her and it both confused and scared him.

"Dudley, I said to stay away from her."

"Why? What's wrong with her?!" Dudley asked harshly, trying to maintain a low level of sound so the other's wouldn't overhear them. "Don't you dare say it's because of magic. You haven't said anything about staying away from the others!"

His mother said nothing; she seemed at loss for words.

Knowing that he had her cornered, Dudley prodded his mother further. "Why do you hate her, and why did you seem to recognize her?"

"Just trust me Dudley, she is not someone you want to be around," she hissed, skirting around the question. Dudley wanted to laugh in her face. She never once complained about the friend he had hung out with before, despite their tattoos or the fact that many of them had either reeked of fags or alcohol. His anger seemed to build at her lack of concern up until now.

"Does this have anything to do with a man named Snape?" He asked, forcing the final nail into the coffin.

It turned out to be the nail in his own coffin. His mother was so shocked and enraged by the name Snape that she smacked him across the face. Granted, it really wasn't much of a slap- it had been more of a light tap on his cheek. He had spent so many years is wrestling and street fights that it had barely made him wince. However, it was followed by a much deeper, inner pain. His mother had never ever really scolded him, let alone use corporal punishment.

They stared at each other in horror as his mother finally comprehended her own actions.

Dudley just stood there in shock.

"Dudley it's not you, it's her," his mother gasped, trying to justify what she had done. "She's toxic, like that man...I never want to hear you say his name again."

Dudley wasn't used to being smacked by his mother and he wasn't used to her telling him 'no'. This angered Dudley in a way he couldn't explain. He was used to getting what he wanted. He scoffed.

"I just want you safe Diddykins," she tried to reason with him, her voice was tired and fearful. Dudley glared down at her. This whole ordeal must have started driving his mother into madness.

"I'll hang out with who I want, when I want, and _you_ can't stop me," He growled, shoving his bedroom door open. "and stop calling me 'Diddykins'," With a final grunt, he shut the door in his mother's face.

As the shock of the incident began to wear off, his brain began to buzz again. His confrontation with his mother stirred up more questions than answers, but one thing had been made perfectly clear.

Eve was related to Severus Snape, and his mother knew exactly who he was.

* * *

A/N: Ah, the suspense is building...What will happen next, and how will Dudley cope as his world continues to drastically change? Please read and review!


	7. Chapter 7

On to new topics and "new" characters!

* * *

Chapter 7: The September Surprise

Dudley sat on the floor of his room, his back against his bed reading the last chapter of ' _Quidditch Through the Ages_ ', his mouth forming each word he read across the page. After nearly a month and a half of having the book in his possession, he was finally, FINALLY, finishing it, and with that accomplishment came a sense of pride. Dudley couldn't remember the last time he read an entire book; he never even bothered with the ones required for school. He usually hated reading.

Dudley had spent most of the month of August by himself; the Death Eaters overtake of the wizarding government had put the magical residents of Marigold Cabin on edge, and he was still livid with his mother and currently was choosing to ignore her. The tension was so strong that he couldn't hang around any of them without becoming anxious. Most of the time he spent in his room lifting weights or listening to the radio, and if he was really daring he would poke around Eve's little potions lab just to annoy her. She was especially out of sorts lately, and had been more rude and snappish with everyone.

The only time he wasn't alone was during supper; everyone attended it religiously, as though they all seemed to mutually agree on having daily human contact to keep themselves sane. There would even be occasional conversations at the table, even ones that his father didn't dish out insults. Dudley felt more relaxed during these times, even if they were short lived.

Dudley flipped to the last page of the book, reading about the latest and fastest broom on the market; the Firebolt. His stomach did an unsettling flip. After being hurled into a tree by an ancient broom, he had no desire to think of one that could go a hundred times faster. Closing the book he slowly stood up and stretched. He retrieved his watch from the bedside table to check the time. It was already four in the afternoon and he hadn't left his room since lunch. His eyes quickly glanced at the the smaller set of numbers below the time. He had gone all day without realizing it was the beginning of September. August had felt like everyday had been melted into a single long day, one he never thought would end.

He walked to the small library, not seeing or hearing anyone else on his way. Even the library itself was empty, unless he counted the flying books that lazily soared from shelf to shelf. He ducked underneath one as it nearly flew into his face, he found an empty space on a shelf and nestled it between a huge tattered one and a smaller blue one that emitted a strange humming sound. He quickly jerked his hand back, still fearful one might turn around and bite him.

It wasn't until he poked his head in the kitchen that he saw somebody. Hestia was cooking, and looked happy for the first time in weeks. Dudley raised an eyebrow; the last time Hestia made a large meal it was ruined by the terrible news of the overthrown Magical Ministry. Hestia must have sensed him standing in the doorway, because she looked over her shoulder, and gave him a small smile. Dudley took a step forward.

"What's the occasion?" He asked, pointing at all the food being prepared. His eyes hungrily followed the motion of the enchanted kitchen knife chopping up potatoes.

"You'll see," Hestia said in dismissal, politely trying to shoo him out of the room.

"You, err, need any help?" He asked hopefully, wondering if he could weasel an answer or two from her.

This time, Hestia raised an eyebrow and shook her head.

"No, I'm all set," she responded with a slight air of suspicion, as though she knew what game he was playing. "I'll call when it's ready."

Annoyed, Dudley traveled further down the hall towards the front door. He waved a bit reluctantly to the painting of the fishermen, who were eagerly waiting for him to respond to their excited calls and friendly waves, and walked out to the front garden.

The front garden was much smaller than the one in back, but it had more of the red-orange marigolds than the other. He watched as they swayed back and forth despite the fact there was no wind at the moment. No longer surprised by some of the less crazy magic in the place, he merely glanced at them as though every flower possessed that odd quirk.

Dudley's stomach suddenly gave out a loud growl, maybe he should have grabbed something from the kitchen before leaving. Hestia didn't mention when dinner would be ready. He hoped it was sooner rather than later.

Wanting to take his mind off of food and kill time, he grabbed a rock from the ground and chucked it straight ahead. He watched as it whizzed past an old stump before hitting the invisible barrier with a funny sizzling noise. It fell straight to the ground going no further.

Dudley had discovered the humor of the barrier about a week ago, (or had it been two?) when he had thrown a gnome in that general direction. It had hit the wall so hard that it had been knocked unconscious. Dudley had panicked for a moment, wondering if he had accidentally killed it, but after he gave it a few good prods with a nearby stick, it leaped up and ran away comically, stumbling and tripping on roots and branches. He had to wonder if the thing told its ugly friends about the incident because he hadn't seen a single one wondering around since then.

He chucked a few more stones at the invisible wall, wondering if it was possible to be able to throw a rock hard enough that it would pass through. He had been trying for days, but it had yet to work. There was a large pile-up of rocks and pebbles at the edge of barrier because Dudley was too afraid to go near it, if it made the rocks sizzle, then what would it do to his skull?

After a while he became bored and his throwing arm started to hurt, he sat down in the grass, debating whether he wanted to go and grab his radio from inside...just to have some noise. He really hated not having television.

He had just gotten up when he heard a popping sound, it was very faint and it echoed, like it was miles off. Dudley turned towards the source and gave out a yelp of surprise.

There, not even seven meters away, stood three people on the other side of the barrier. They looked slightly muddled in color, as did everything on the the other side of the magical dome, but he didn't stick around to look closer at them. He booked it back to the cabin to warn the others. Were they going to be attacked?

He swung open the front door, nearly knocking Dedalus over, who was just on the other side of it.

"There are people out there!" He cried out "They just appeared out of nowhere!"

Dedalus stood tiptoes to see over Dudley's broad shoulder, looking at the three strangers beyond the wall. He let out a gleeful chuckle.

"My dear boy, there is no need to be alarmed; these gentlemen are welcome guests and old friends. But, I am glad to see you are willing to act if an emergency were to arise," He gave Dudley a pat on the shoulder. "Come on, let's welcome them together!"

He followed Dedalus to the yard, watching as he took out his wand and whispered a few words. A small portion of the wall fell away like shattered glass. The three people stepped through the hole before it was sealed up again.

One was an older gentleman with dark skin and a large gold earring. He wore light blue robes, which Dudley felt could rival Dedalus's lime green one in ridiculousness.

The other two were much younger, only a couple years older than himself. One was shorter and wore his dark hair in dreadlocks, while the other was tall, red haired, and freckled. He felt like he recognized him. The red haired boy turned to look at him, Dudley had to hold back a gasp when he saw the gaping hole where his ear should have been. The boy gave him a sly grin before focusing on Dedalus.

The four wizards quickly exchanged some strange questions: _What is Kingsley's favorite color? How many lumps of sugar does George take in his tea?_ weird things like that. Dudley found it hard to concentrate on them when he was spending his time trying to avert his gaze from the guy's missing ear. He did briefly wonder, however, why every wizard he met asked each other odd questions as a form of greeting. Maybe he would ask one of them later.

"This here is Dudley," Dudley snapped out of his trance and gave the trio a weak smile, "Harry's cousin."

The older man, Kingsley, gave Dudley an acknowledging nod. The guy in dreadlocks, Lee Jorden, shook his hand. The ear-less guy gave a knowing smile.

"I remember you, you had a sample of our Ton-Tongue Toffee," George said as a form or re-introduction. Dudley felt the color drain from his face. He remembered that candy almost killed him a few years back. Dudley balled up his fists; he suddenly had the urge to make another hole in the ginger's head. But George just continued to grin, oblivious to, or amused by his anger.

Dudley was pretty sure this was the surprise Hestia was talking about and he wasn't sure that he was going to enjoy it.

* * *

Why have George, Lee, and Kingsley arrived? Find out next week for answers...and chaos!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Potterwatch

Hestia already had the table set when the group walked in together. The room was filled with wonderful scents, which was good, because Dudley was starving! When Hestia saw the visitors she ran to greet them with hugs, giving George an extra long one when she noticed his ear. The small room was suddenly full of sound and voices, it was a little too much for him after nearly two months of near seclusion.

"You would think they had invited twenty people by the noise in here," a voice mumbled in his ear. Dudley glanced at Eve, who just seemed come in from nowhere.

"Ah, Miss Peters, you've finally emerged from the cellar. Good to see you again!" Dedalus said jokingly, giving her a good-hearted pat on the back. "You've already met Kingsley, of course. This is George Weasley and Lee Jordan."

George broke away from Hestia's embrace to look over his shoulder, his eyebrows raised in mild surprise and his ridiculous grin had faded slightly. Lee also seemed to be quite stunned, for his dark eyebrows were raised so high they touched his hairline.

"I've heard about you," George said as they loosely shook hands. Eve's eyes were fixated on the boy's missing ear for a few long moments before politely turning her gaze back to the center of his face.

"Likewise," Eve said before turning to shake hands with Lee. There was an awkward silence between the three of them; the two boys were staring at her cautiously, as though they believed that she would suddenly attack them. Dudley frowned, Eve wasn't _that_ terrifying. For a brief moment, he wondered if his mother was right, that Eve was a dangerous person. If people like George Weasley were weary of her, maybe she was someone to be feared.

There was a sudden gasp that came from behind him, breaking the sudden tension. He turned to see his mum, her face drained of all color. She pulled Dudley away from George instinctively. Apparently she hadn't forgotten about his giant tongue incident either. His father's face was slowly turning a deep shade of purple, not unlike Dudley's tongue had been that terrible night. He was about to open his mouth when Hestia sent him a _Don't-you-dare-cause-a-scene-or-I'll-make-your-life-a-living-nightmare-if-you-ruin-this-evening_ glare, causing him to only mumble angrily. Dudley felt his dad might be finally starting to understand who was running the show around here.

Hestia's glare suddenly melted away as she looked at everyone else. "Well, I just finished dinner. Why don't we all take a seat?" She suggested, grabbing the chair nearest to her and sitting down.

Dudley was not used to having dinner around such a crowded table, much less a lively one. Dudley found himself next to Lee, who wasn't all that bad. Lee loved telling jokes almost as much as Dedalus did and Dudley had to force himself to laugh even though he didn't think there was anything funny about the Witch the Hag and the _Mimbulus mimbletonia,_ (he wasn't even sure what the latter was.) His parents scoffed at their freakish form of humor. Everyone else groaned like it was corny knock-knock joke.

"So George," Dedalus asked. "Why isn't Fred joining us this evening?"

Dudley wasn't exactly sure who Fred was, but he had a feeling it was George's twin brother. He remembered them both scurrying away as his tongue turned purple and started to grow at an alarming rate. Mr. Weasley had to calm them all down enough so he could fix Dudley's tongue. He hoped the twins received punishment like Arthur promised he would give them.

George swallowed the spoon full of mashed potatoes in his mouth before responding. "He stayed behind to watch over the joke shop. Business has been slowing down lately, but we still are keeping our doors open."

They opened a joke shop? Dudley thought to himself in disbelief. If they were selling things like that candy he ate, they were sociopaths. Who would ever buy that stuff?

"That's a bit of a pity," Hestia frowned, prodding a bit of stuffing with her fork. "but, it's good to know your business is still running," Every magical person at the table solemnly nodded, the heavy fear from the world seemed to suddenly settle around the table. Dudley shifted uncomfortably in his seat, it groaned in protest.

"So Kingsley, I understand there is some sort of project you and Mr. Jordan have started," Dedalus stated, moving the conversation in a different direction. The quiet man looked up from his serving of ham.

"It was Lee's idea to start up a radio show for those on our side. We aired our first show last week."

Dudley made a face, he had been listening to the radio everyday since the beginning of August and he had never heard either of their voices on any of the working stations.

"We apologize that we haven't been able to give you the first password to our station, but our methods of communication have been harder to produce since many of us are being watched," Kingsley said in a deep, rumbling voice.

"What is the purpose of this radio show?" Eve asked, speaking for the first time since they had sat down to eat.

"We tell the truth about everything that has been happening," Lee said, "We are the only ones not covering up lies, aside from the Quibbler."

"What's the Quibbler?" Dudley asked, to the surprise of both of his parents. His mother went pale and placed a protective hand on her son, as though she was expecting him to be attacked for speaking.

"It's a magazine that used to publish crazy rubbish, like articles on Nargles or Crumple-Horned Snorkacks," George explained, "but recently they have been posting the truth about what's really going on right now."

Dudley nodded as though he understood and he waited until the conversation transitioned back to the radio show before nudging Eve across the table with his foot. When they made eye contact Dudley mouthed, "What's a Nargle?" Her only response was a simple shrug and a swift kick to his shin.

Dudley hissed in pain only to quickly cover it with a cough after everyone turned to look at him. He gave Eve a seething glare. She bobbed her head slightly towards the conversation, indicating that he should be paying attention to what was being said.

"...So, I think we should set up here in the kitchen, it's got enough room to set up the speakers and the microphones," Lee suggested.

Dudley had no idea what was going on at this point. He had missed the rest of the conversation. What was with the microphones? We're they airing their show here?! Dudley looked to Eve for help, only to be met with a smug smile. Dudley viciously stabbed a stray carrot on his plate in his frustration.

Well, at least he would find out sooner or later.

* * *

Dudley hardly recognized the kitchen when he walked in later that evening, the dining table had been invaded by a microphone, a large radio, and some handwritten notes. The microphone was cordless, but Dudley had a strong feeling it was somehow magically connected to the radio system on the table.

George was in the far corner of the room digging through a small leather pouch and producing things from it that were way too large to realistically fit in there. After pulling out a large, brightly colored boxed labeled _Nosebleed Nougats_ , a blue feathered boa, a bright purple top hat, numerous hairpins, and other strange knick knacks, he finally found his own microphone after reaching his entire arm into the bag. Dudley had remembered seeing something similar in a Disney movie once about a nanny with a large carpet bag. His mother had turned the telly off, saying that the movie was utter nonsense.

"Why do you have these?" Eve asked the ginger, holding up one of the colorful hair clips.

"They are a Weasley's Wizard Weezes product, they are made to change the hairstyle of whoever wears them," he replied, taking the clip from her hand and fastening it into his hair. Almost immediately the shock of red hair had dulled to a dingy grey and formed a slight wave to it. Dudley stared, slightly dumbfounded. He half expected it to explode or something.

"Incredible," Eve gasped, "I would ask how you accomplished it, but I'm betting it's confidential?"

"Right you are! Fred and I see that it has been a big hit amongst teenage girls, and they're useful for the Order," George said, visibly seeming more relaxed around Eve as she continued to ask him questions.

George and Eve were still talking as Dudley's attention was drawn to Lee, who was already sitting at the table. Lee fiddled with the dials on the radio, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"What are you doing?" Dudley found himself asking as he walked over to the kitchen table.

"I am putting in the password for today's show, listeners have to dial in the chosen password in order to get the station, otherwise anyone could listen in," Lee turned one of the dials clockwise and tapped it with his wand, it emitted a hollow clicking noise, followed by static.

"We are all set, we'll just wait a few more moments before starting," Lee shifted his microphone closer to his right. He placed an elbow on the and turned to look at him.

"So, I imagine this all must be difficult for you, being a Muggle and all, thrown into a world that you haven't experienced before. It must be rough," Lee said in a surprisingly serious tone.

"It has been...difficult," Dudley mumbled, not wanting to say anything that might be offensive. "But, I have had some help getting used to it," he continued, glancing over at Eve. "I've learned a lot."

"Have you learned about Quidditch?"

"Yeah! I read a book on it and have been listening to some of the games on the radio, the Chudley Cannons are awful! The team seriously needs a new coach," Dudley responded with a little too much enthusiasm. He was happy that he could have a conversation that he completely understood. Lee laughed heartily with agreement.

"River, you idiot!" George suddenly shouted from across the room, "Your elbows is on the mic button!"

Responding to the name River, Lee jumped back from the table. Sure enough, a small red light was blinking at the base of the microphone. He stared at it in horror a second before quickly recovering.

"Sorry about that folks!" Lee said into the microphone, "But, isn't it sad that even a Muggle, who has just been introduced to the magical world, knows that our Britain's Quidditch team is a complete mess? And their performance last week was no exception...Now I think we should move onto more serious matters."

"Right you are River!" George said, holding his own mic as he slid into the seat next to him.

"Welcome, everyone to our humble radio show, Potterwatch. If you are a returning listener, Welcome back! I'm your co-host Rebel here with our klutz of a host, River. I would also like to give a special thanks to our Muggle guest, _Porkchop_ , for being such a good sport!"

Dudley had every urge to jump at the the ear-less wonder and pound him into the ground. He had never been made fun of like that, nobody had ever dared to.

"Rebel, I thought we agreed that everybody's name was to start with 'R'?" Lee asked as he attempted to cover up a snort.

"I think Porkchop is a special case," He said giving Dudley a wink. Dudley clenched his hands into fists, debating whether to swing. Eve must have noticed this, for she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on, let's get out of the way," Eve said, giving his shirt a sharp tug. George's grin fell from his face and Dudley found himself freeze when he saw the icy glare she was giving the ginger. He found himself nodding stupidly and left the table without even sending a glare in George's direction.

"And a special thanks to...Rogue, for breaking up what was sure to end up a bloody fight to the death," Lee added to break the sudden silence. He shuffled his stack of papers.

"Speaking of bloody fights, there was another Death Eater attack in a Muggle village just south of..."

Dudley and Eve stood on the other side of the kitchen as "River" and "Rebel" continued reporting more attacks and deaths of both wizards and Muggle communities. The two of the listened about the Muggleborns going into hiding due to the new Registration Laws being led by someone called Umbridge, and the fact that Harry Potter was still in hiding. They were soon joined by Kingsley (Royal), who began giving more detailed insight on the corruption of the Ministry of Magic. Hestia and Dedalus stood in the doorway listening intently.

"So Royal, do you have any advice for some of our younger listeners at Hogwarts who may be listening in? How should they stay safe from the new management at the school?"

"Yes, I do. Students, stay in groups. Don't ever walk the halls alone, not even during the day. Stay out of the Carrow's way; they are known Death Eaters and will not hesitate to use sever punishment on anyone who disagrees with them. I also beg you to not start any rebellions. Please stay in line, the staff can only protect you so much from the Carrows and Headmaster Snape."

Dudley's eyes widened. That Snape guy had popped up again! _Who is this guy and what was so terrible about him, and why was he the suddenly the Headmaster of Hogwarts_? He glanced over at Eve, who was standing there stone-faced, seemingly indifferent to the conversation. _And what is her role in all of this?_ His mind buzzed with uncertainty and confusion.

"My final bit of advice would be to turn off the radio right now. Yes, you heard me correctly, turn it off. Do not play this station anywhere you can be overheard. You are placing yourselves in danger if you are caught. I understand that you want to stay informed, but it's not worth your safety. There are those that can relay the information you need and if you are listening to this station, you probably already know who they are," Kingsley pushed the mic back to George to wrap it up.

"Well, that's all the time we have for tonight folks. Remember to set up protective shields on your homes every day and to do the same for your Muggle neighbors, keep everyone around you safe. And, if we find you students are still tuning in each week, we give permission to a few of our mates at Hogwarts to chuck your radios off the top of the astronomy tower. Seriously, stop listening to us," George finished looking at the time on his watch. "Good night and don't forget next week's password is 'Golden Trio'."

Lee switched off both microphones with the flick of his wand. He heaved a loud sigh and leaned back in his chair.

"Well, that was an...interesting start."

"I was pretty funny though. I bet Fred got a laugh out of it," George chuckled as he tossed the mic in his bag, it hit the bottom with a loud thump. He tossed the remaining boas and candy in on top of it. "No hard feelings though, right?" George asked, turning to face Dudley. He gave him a sly grin.

Dudley just glared at him.

"I just felt you deserve a little humiliation for being such a prat to Harry," he explained like everything was completely justifiable.

"Don't you think I feel bad enough?" Dudley hissed through his teeth. He hardly thought anyone like George Weasley should be righting another person's wrongs. George examined him for a moment with surprise, as though he had suddenly started speaking another language. He coughed and shifted his gaze.

"Sorry that I offended you. I suppose that makes me the prat now."

"Eh, I guess we are both prats," he scoffed. Tryin to take the high-road in this situation.

George laughed and walked out of the kitchen.

Dudley still thought he was a jerk.

"Are you sure you can't stay any longer?" Hestia asked the the three men that were getting ready to depart. The sun had set hours ago, and the new moon made the sky pitch black. Dudley had accompanied her and Dedalus outside to say goodbye. Eve had returned to the cellar, claiming she had a potion to attend to.

"I'm sorry, but we cannot stay," Kingsley said, giving her a quick hug goodbye. "I have to report to work tomorrow and the boys still have to run the shop."

Hestia nodded in understanding, but it didn't hide the disappointment in her eyes.

"Thanks for the dinner!" Lee smiled. " It was the best meal I have had in ages,"

"Yep, just as good as mum's," George agreed, patting his stomach.

Hestia smiled and thanked them with a slight blush. She turned to the conversation that Dedalus and Kingsley were still having.

"Hey Lee?" Dudley asked, pulling him aside. He figured now was good time to get some information.

"What's up?"

Dudley shifted uncomfortably in the stop he was standing in,his curiosity getting the better of him. "What can you tell me about Snape?"

Lee gave him an odd look. "What do you want to know?"

"Why his name keeps coming up, nobody has told me anything."

"Seriously?! I thought you said you were told about what has been going on?"

"Eve never spoke of him when she told me about the magical world. In fact, she won't even say his name. There is a connection between them, isn't there? Everyone knows, even my mum knows who he is, but she won't say anything, and I feel like I shouldn't ask Ms. Jones or Mr. Diggle..."He rambled.

"Oh, that's rich!" Lee scowled, "She would be such a coward not to mention that-"

"Oi! We're leaving!" George called a few feet away, "Let's go!"

"Alright, I'm coming!" Lee shouted over his shoulder. He turned back quickly to Dudley.

"Look, I have to leave," he explained, biting his lip. " You really should ask Hestia or Dedalus about him...I guess they think Eve already told you. But if you really feel uncomfortable, I'll send you a message when I get the chance. Alright?"

"Alright thanks," Dudley huffed, not overly thrilled that he wouldn't get to know right away. "Nice meeting you," he added, remembering to be polite.

"Likewise," Lee said, quickly shaking his hand.

Dudley walked over to Dedalus and Hestia and waved goodbye to their visitors as they left the protective barrier and disappeared one at a time in a series of dull cracks.

* * *

A/N:How will Potterwatch affect Dudley's life? When will he discover the connection between Eve and Snape? Read, review, and find out in upcoming chapters!


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Sorry that this chapter is on the shorter side, though I may post chapter ten sooner than next week. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 9: Patronus Problems

Rain pelted down onto the window, filling the bedroom with the sound of distant drums. Dudley Dursley, however, ignored it as he read and reread the same page of a book. He had been trying to decipher "Principles of Apparition" for the past two days and had barely managed to make much sense of it. He had become interested in the topic two weeks ago after watching Kingsley, George, and Lee appear and disappear out of thin air. It was much cooler to see others doing it than it was going through it. Either way, it had suddenly peaked his interest.

Determined to learn for himself, he had found the book in the library. That had been a mistake. He scanned the paragraph he had been reading for the sixth time that morning.

" _Destination: the first of the three "D's", is highly important for a castor to remember. The absences of a set destination could result in horrific splinching. This is not to say, however, that the whereabouts of the location have to be known. For example, if one were to desire a place to relax, they may find that they have apparated to a lovely beach or a handsome field they have never visited before. This type of unknown destination is highly discouraged due to the..."_

Dudley snapped the book shut in irritation knowing he wouldn't be able to continue reading about something that just confused him even more. What was splinching anyways? It certainly sounded nasty. Defeated, he flopped out of bed to return the book to the library.

Dudley was surprised to hear voices when he opened his bedroom door. Usually the cabin was silent on rainy mornings like this. He strained to listen to the voices, they seemed to be quietly arguing. Slowly, as not to make any noise, he walked down the hall. The voices grew louder as he approached the lounge. He stopped just outside of the the entryway and listened in.

"That memory must not be strong enough Miss Peters; try another one," Dedalus's said in a slightly forceful tone.

"I am trying!" Eve hissed angrily, she sounded like she was close to shouting. "I just can't get it to work!"

"You can," Dedalus urged, "Just let your happiest memory fill your mind and do as I do... Expecto Patronum!"

Curious, Dudley peered around the corner. The furniture in the lounge had been pushed aside, leaving a large empty space in the center of the room. Dudley watched in awe as a silver mist flowed from Dedalus's wand. It twisted and turned quickly to form a solid mass.

Within seconds, the mist had contorted into the shape of a goose. It silently flew around the room, opening and closing its silvery beak, like it was attempting to make sound. _So that was how a Patronus is made_. Dudley said to himself. His eyes followed the bird as it landed on the ground next to the little man, and made quite the show of preening its feathers before it disappeared into nothingness.

Eve inhaled sharply before she raised her wand. She wrinkled her brow in concentration and waved her wand. "Expecto Patronum!"

At first, a silvery mist poured from her wand just as Dedalus's had. It bent and twisted and began to condense into a small shape before falling apart into a cloud of misty dust. Eve stood there with a blank expression, the only indication of her frustration was the way her hands twitched at her sides.

Dedalus sighed and pocketed his wand into his looked slightly annoyed, but not discouraged. "Maybe we should take a break," he suggested. Eve gave the man a curt nod in agreement.

Dudley backed away from the entryway as Dedalus emerged from the lounge.

"Oh, hello Dudley!" he greeted.

"Hey, Dedalus."

"I'm off to the kitchen for some breakfast, would you like to join me?"

"I'm not hungry," Dudley lied. His stomach ached in protest.

"Alright then, suit yourself," Dedalus said in his usual cheerful tone. He scurried away to the kitchen and out of sight.

Dudley returned his attention to the witch. Though moments ago she looked nearly emotionless, she had now taken a pillow from off the couch and had buried her face into it. Dudley could hear her let out a muffled scream. She chucked the pillow at the floor and mumbled out a slew of cursing that would have made a sailor blush. Dudley certainly felt his face become heated and he just stood there in mild awe. When Eve finally noticed him in the doorway, she quickly shut her mouth and her pale cheeks became blotched with red, looking like she had very bad rash.

"Sorry 'bout that..." She said, anxiously scratching her head.

"Having problems?" He asked, trying to seem unfazed.

"That's an understatement," Eve grumbled. She flicked her wand and the furniture zipped back into its regular place. She flopped lazily onto the sofa."For the life of me, I can not produce a corporeal Patronus. Mr. Diggle thinks my happy memory isn't strong enough to produce one," she rolled her eyes" I know that can't be it; I can feel the strength of my memory and it feels solid, it just..." She sighed and slumped further down into the seat cushion.

"Just what?" Dudley set the book down on the coffee table and plopped down next to her.

"It's hard to explain...It's like, I can feel the energy behind the spell, but the spell itself isn't sure what to do with it. It feels as though it's confused, like it isn't sure what form it wants to morph into...does that make any sense?" Dudley just stared blankly at her.

"Absolutely none."

At first, Eve quirked an eyebrow, only to burst out in laughter a few seconds later.

"Guess I forgot who I was talking to," she snorted, sitting back up.

"Do all Patronuses look different?" Dudley asked, thinking about Dedalus's goose and Arthur Weasley's weasel.

"For the most part, I think," Eve mused, looking up at the wooden ceiling. "I guess there are certain exceptions and conditions...a person's Patronus can even change too. Nobody really understands why; there are only theories and guesses."

Dudley made a face; he found it odd how much wizard and witches didn't know about their own magic. Then again, there was a lot he didn't know about his own, Muggle world.

"Creating a Patronus isn't exactly easy, but I have been practicing this spell for over six months. The Order uses them a lot, you see," Eve said as she examined her wand. "Defense Against the Dark Arts has never been my strongest point, but I have never been this incompetent. If I was face to face with a Dementor right now, I would be screwed."

Dudley suddenly remembered that summer two years ago. He remembered seeing a flash of silver light through the endless darkness. That horrible, cold, empty darkness. Those Dementors had forced him to see what he really had been: a terrible bully. Just thinking about it caused a shiver to race down his spine. Harry had saved him with a Patronus. He couldn't remember what it looked like, he only recalled that it had been big. It had chased away the compressing, dark force that had been surrounding Dudley. He never had properly thanked his cousin for saving his soul from being eaten.

"You alright?"

"Yeah," Dudley said, shaking his head to bring himself back to reality. "I just got lost in thought,"

Eve continued to stare at him. It made him feel very uneasy. He shifted uncomfortably back, unsure why she was looking at him like that. Suddenly, she let out a huff and returned her gaze back to her wand. After a minute, she stood up and glanced around the room.

"Expecto Patronum," she said with a wave of her wand. The mist shooting out gathered into a small mass. It twirled like it was about to take shape. Dudley leaned forward with excitement. With a sudden, short burst, it fell apart. The mist fell to the floor. Dudley reached out for some with an open hand before it disappeared completely. It was warm sensation, not unlike breathing into your hands outside in the middle of winter. He looked up at the witch.

Eve let out a disappointed sigh. "I have better things to do than this," she said before walking away, leaving Dudley alone in the room. He heard the sound of the cellar door slam shut as he got up to leave.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: As promised, I did try to post the next chapter sooner than usual, and this time it was a success! The next chapter will be up on Wednesday/Thursday as usual.

Enjoy! Reviews are always welcome!

* * *

Chapter 10: Destructive Decisions

Twenty-five.

Two days later it was still raining. Dudley was keeping himself busy today by doing push-ups. He took a deep breath and pushed on. Sweat slid down his neck as the rain pelted harder against the window.

Twenty-six.

He wondered if the gnomes had been flooded out of their home yet. He imagined them scrambling over each other, trying to climb a tree to save themselves.

Twenty-seven.

He could hear his father yelling about something. He debated whether it was worth checking out. He cringed at Hestia's returning screeches. Probably not a good idea...His arms were starting to become sore.

Twenty-eight.

Dudley hadn't seen Eve since the other day. He bet she was down in the cellar again, if she had ever bothered to leave since the other day. He debated going down there to make sure she had remembered to sleep, or eat, or bathe. She was the type of person that tended to forget certain basic human needs when she was busy working on a project.

Twenty-nine.

He heard another clap of thunder, his bedroom lit up from the lightning. _When is this rain ever going to let up?!_

Thirty.

Dudley collapsed to the floor; he hated doing push-ups. Tired, he rolled over onto his back and sprawled himself across the floor. He could kill for a hamburger and fries. At that thought he closed his eyes and imagined such wonderfully tasty foods.

Outside, something was hitting his window hard enough to create a loud clicking noise. He groaned. _Is it hailing now too?!_

Dudley tilted his head towards the window and slowly opened one of his eyes. He jumped up in surprise at the sight of a small dark creature tapping on his window. Another flash of lighting gave him enough light to see that it was an owl. It looked at him with agitation and continued pecking at the window.

Cautiously, he approached the window. He could faintly hear the owl let out an angry hoot as it demanded to be let inside. At first, Dudley had no idea why there was a crazy owl at his window, it took a moment for him to remember that magical post was delivered by the nocturnal birds. It must have a letter.

Curious and a bit excited, Dudley unlatched the window and pulled the wooden frame open. The bird bolted through the opening and flopped onto his rug. He quickly closed it again.

"Hey! Quit that!" He scolded as the owl ruffled it's tawny feathers, sending splashes of water everywhere. His response was a creepy, hissing noise. Dudley held his hands up defensively.

"Alright, alright. Sorry, I should have let you in sooner," The owl gave him a disapproving hoot, and begrudgingly held out its leg. A small piece of paper was attached to it. It stared up at him with beady little eyes. It shook its extended leg impatiently.

"Errrr..." Dudley said, kneeling down next to it. He hesitated to untie it, fearful of the creatures small talons sinking into his flesh. The owl, however, continued to glare at him as though to say it was going to scratch him if he didn't hurry up and take the letter.

Nervously, he fumbled with the twine, fearful of actually touching the bird. Finally, it fell to the floor. Dudley picked it up, surprised that it seemed untouched by the rain. Anxiously, he unrolled the paper. On the scroll in chicken-scratch was a short note.

 _Porkchop,_

 _(Sorry, but using your real name could be hazardous if this were intercepted)._

 _If you haven't already asked H. or D. yet, the attached article should answer your question. As for his connection to Rogue...well, you don't have to be a genius to figure that out._

 _Also, don't respond to this letter, we shouldn't risk your your location more than we already have._

 _-River_

 _P.S: Nigel will start to peck you until he receives food. Sorry._

Dudley looked over at Nigel, who had already begun to inch closer to him, was looking at him expectantly. Thinking quickly, he pulled out a package from his dresser drawer. He wondered if owls like Goldfish crackers. He took out a small handful and dropped it next to the bird. Nigel pecked at one, swallowing it whole. He must have liked it enough, because he soon reached for another. Dudley returned his attention to the folded up newspaper clipping. He unfolded it, his eyes hungry to read it.

The paper was dated back in early June and sported a moving picture of an old man with a long beard and half-moon glasses. The picture smiled faintly up at him.

 _"The Wizarding world suffered a great loss today with the death of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. The Order of Merlin First Class, Supreme Mugwump, and Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was killed in cold blood last night by the use of the unforgivable killing curse. The castor of this wretched spell was non other than a member of Dumbledore's own staff. Severus Snape, the Potions Master at Hogwarts for the past fifteen years, fired the curse that ended the beloved man's life, sending him off the the side of the north tower of Hogwarts. Snape is a known Death Eater…"_

Dudley continued to read on. The shock of the situation was overpowering. The fact that Snape was a follower of Voldemort was bad enough, considering he had made a living off of teaching young students. The knowledge that Dumbledore had trusted him and gave him a second chance, only to be killed by him, was much worse. What a horrible traitor, no wonder nobody at Marigold Cabin wanted to mention his name.

His mind suddenly jumped to Eve. How could she not tell him this? She had explained Albus Dumbledore's death like it had been done by a random Death Eater, she never once even mentioned the name Severus Snape. Especially since…

Suddenly fueled with a hurt, angry rage, Dudley stomped over to the door and yanked it open. Nigel hooted loudly at his feet. Too preoccupied at the moment, he figured the bird would be fine on his own and was just thankful to be out of the storm.

He slammed the door behind him and made his way down the hall. He opened and closed the cellar door with equal force and tromped down the stairs. Eve was sitting at her workstation, slicing up some sort of purple root. She didn't even bother to look up at him as he approached her.

"Jeez Dudley, I thought an elephant was jumping down the steps with the noise you were making," she said with a smile. However, when she finally did look up at him, it vanished quickly. "What's wrong?"

"This!" he spat, holding the newspaper clipping literally an inch from her face. Eve went cross eyed for a moment before snatching the paper from him. He watched as her face went pale as her eyes scanned the article.

"Where did you get this?" She asked venomously, darkness filling in her features.

"That hardly matters. What _does_ matter is the fact that you blatantly lied to me."

"I didn-"

"How could you not tell me?!"

Eve gazed down at her lap, apparently at a loss for words. Dudley took a deep breath and spoke as calmly as he could.

"Is he your father?"

There was a long pause, Eve looked back up, now wearing the same expressionless mask she often donned when Severus Snape was mentioned.

"Yes," her voice was monotone, almost robotic.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked. He couldn't help but feel hurt, he thought that they had been friends. Eve shrunk away from and stumbled over to one of the back counters, gripping onto the edge with her hands. She didn't even seem to have the courage to face him.

"Are you really that stupid?! Do you think I want to go around telling everyone 'Hey, what's up? My father killed the greatest wizard of our time. So, what Quidditch team do you support?'" She clutched the counter tighter, shaking slightly as she spoke.

Dudley glared at her. He hated the fact that she lied, but loathed the fact that she didn't seem to have a very supportive reason for not telling him the truth. Dudley didn't think any of this would have been an issue if she had just been honest with him the first time. He was so angry for being left in the dark, first by his mother and now his only real friend in this secluded cabin. His mind searched for something hurtful.

"Lee was right," Dudley scoffed at her. "You are a coward."

Dudley realized right away that he had not learned from his conflict with his mother, nor had he completely dropped his old bullying habits. He was quickly learning that it was his greatest downfall.

He had succeeded in hitting a nerve, but his glory was very short lived. Just as the last of the words escaped his mouth, Eve whirled around in a furious rage. A glass jar shattered behind him, mere inches to his right. He flinched as he felt a shard of glass scrape across his arm. She had not used her wand, but there was no way she couldn't have caused that to happen. Dudley briefly remembered the time Harry blew up their aunt Marge. He hadn't had his wand either.

Dudley stood there, unable to move as blood began to trickle down his arm. The look on Eve's face matched the terror that he felt.

"Oh Merlin," she gasped "Dudley, I'm so sorry!" She rushed over to him. "I am so, _soooo_ sorry!"

"Stay away from me you psychopath!" Dudley roared, pushing her away. She had used magic to attack him! He fled up the stairs. His mother was right, Eve was dangerous.

"Dudley! Wait!" He heard her footsteps follow him up the stairs as he rushed into his room. He slammed it shut and quickly locked the door, and backed away just as Eve got to his room. He curled his fists, ready to fight in case she blew down the door or something.

Instead, she began to bang loudly on it with her fists.

"Dudley, Please listen! I'm so sorry!"

"Go away!" He shouted back.

"It was accidental! I would never want to-"

"Leave my son alone, you freak!" Dudley heard his father yell from down the hall. This was soon joined by more shouting. Soon, there were several loud voices weaseling into the fight. Tired, angry, and a bit scared, Dudley chose to tune them out. He turned on his wireless radio to drown out their voices.

He glanced over to his desk where Nigel now resided. The owl made a disgruntled clicking noise with his beak. It didn't seem to approve of the noises. It circled to the window and back to the desk, requesting to be let out.

"Fine, you blasted bird...Get out of here!" He growled, re-opening the latch to the window. Nigel screeched bitterly and flew out the gap, into the stormy night.

Dudley let the _Weird Sisters_ play for a while he used an old shirt to stop the blood trickling out of his arm. By that time, the hallway had returned to its normal silence. Dudley breathed a sigh of relief and flopped onto his bed, burying his head into the pillows. About an hour later there was a knock on his door.

"I said go away," Dudley groaned from his bed, ready to chuck his radio at the door.

"It's me sweetheart," he heard his mother say from the other side. "Did that awful girl hurt you? I told you she was toxic."

A part of Dudley wanted to say yes, in hopes that she would get into terrible trouble, but the last person he wanted to confide in was his mother. Dudley didn't want to deal with either of them right now. He looked down at his right arm. Though it had been cut, the bleeding had stopped and now it just stung. The glass hadn't hit him hard enough to cause any more than superficial damage.

"No mum, she didn't," He lied loudly, in case there was more than one person listening outside the door."Now please, just leave me alone."

"Alright sweetie," his mother sniffed, as though she was on the verge of tears. Dudley placed a pillow back over his head, wishing he could just leave this stupid place.

Eve said it had been an accident. He had learned that there was such thing as accidental magic, things that couldn't always be controlled. However, he couldn't help but hear his mother's warning about the girl echo inside his head. What if his mother was right?

At any rate, he felt fortunate that she hadn't turned him into a human balloon like his aunt.

Still, the thought of her hurting him bothered him a lot; not to mention the entire reason their fight had even started.

 _Maybe you shouldn't have acted so angry._ That quiet little voice in the back of his head said. S _he probably has her reasons for not telling you everything._

 _It wouldn't have happened if she hadn't lied_. He told the voice, covering up its pitiful excuses.

Dudley turned to his side in attempts to get to sleep. He would deal with this issue later, right now he needed to rest. He would try to sort it out in his mind tomorrow. I didn't help that he had the rage of his father and the strong ability to hold a grudge like his mother.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Read. Review. Enjoy!

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Chapter 11: Forgiveness and Promises

His ability to hold grudges was stronger than he had expected. It had been several weeks since the fight and Dudley still hadn't completely sorted out the situation. Part of him wanted to stay angry and refuse to ever associate with the likes of Eve, but that little nagging voice kept pulling him away from those actions. He was the one who had started the fight, after all.

Dudley figured that he would say something after dinner to her, or ever approach her while she was in the library or the lounge, but he hadn't even seen Eve at all since that night. She no longer showed up for dinner and never seemed to be in any of the upstairs rooms. The light in her bedroom was never on, making the door at the end of the hall radiate a feeling of emptiness. The only indication that Eve even still existed was the occasional smell of potions brewing down in the cellar, but Dudley wasn't ready to return back down there any time soon.

Spending the past few weeks without talking to someone his own age was beginning to take a toll on him. Dudley still was angry with her, but there was no doubt that he missed their conversations. Between his lack of contact with his mother and Eve, he found himself alone most of the time. Most of the time he locked himself up in his room. When he wasn't there, he was walking aimlessly around Marigold Cabin, looking for things to do.

Hestia had noticed his melancholic behavior rather quickly, and had taken it upon herself to sit down to breakfast with him each morning. They rarely talked, but the air of company seemed to satisfy them both.

Dudley had also been spending more time with Dedalus, their ongoing Wizard's Chess matches helped pass away the afternoons. Dudley was slowly getting better at the strategic game, and had even beat Dedalus yesterday. While the chess games were a decent distraction, Dudley couldn't help but feel a bit mopey. It was hard to function on a day to day biases when you kept doing the same things over and over again.

Dudley stared dully at the chessboard in front of him, he might have gotten lucky the day before, but today he was having his arse handed to him. His rook yelled at him to sacrifice his bishop, while the bishop tried to convince him to use the rook as a decoy.

"Shut up, the both of you!" he hissed angrily, flicking them both upside the heads. This earned a boisterous laugh from Dedalus as the obnoxious pieces grumbled unhappily.

"You seem rather distracted today," The older man observed, giving him a concerned look.

"Sorry, I guess it just is dull to do the same things day in and day out...Not that I don't enjoy playing chess with you!" Dudley quickly added, not wanting to give the man the wrong impression.

"It's quite alright, but maybe we should hold off today's game, and change things up a bit."

Dudley stared, confused for a moment. "Umm, sure," He shrugged.

"Then grab your coat, my boy, and let us take a walk," Dedalus picked up his winter robe from his chair as Dudley got up from the table. The table of chess pieces continued to argue angrily over the game.

"None of you move from your places, or I'll lock the lot of you into the desk drawer again," Dudley threatened the black and white characters before leaving the room.

* * *

Outside was cold and windy. The late November air was very crisp, almost to the point of sharpness. Dudley followed Dedalus through the back garden. All the leaves and plant life had withered and died off for the season, with the exception of the marigold plants. Their bright red, orange and yellow petals continued to dance in the bitter cold.

"I used to love coming here as a young boy," the old man sighed as he watched the floral choreography.

"This is your place?" Dudley had never thought about the ownership of the cabin before, but it seemed to make perfect sense.

"It was my great-grandmother's, Marigold Cabin was named after her. I never did have the pleasure of meeting her, but I have been told she was wonderfully kind. These flowers have been around for nearly two centuries, never changing, never dying."

"Woah," Dudley gaped as he kneeled down to examine them further. He had never paid them much attention, given the fact that they used to make him feel uneasy. He lightly touched one with his fingers. The orange flower twisted rapidly at his touch, making it look as though its petals were twirling.

"I used to come here every summer, these flowers were always my favorite thing about this place. I used to ride my broom through this garden all the time with my brother, Dorian, much to our grandmother's dismay," He said with a slight chuckle "Though, we never did manage to crash into that old oak."

Dudley felt his face go red with both embarrassment and realization. "I didn't think you knew about that..."

Dedalus laughed again, "Miss Peters told me that night. She brought me the broken remains of my brother's old broom. Dorian always hated that thing, it had a constant habit of steering too far to the left."

Dudley felt himself visibly freeze at the mention of Eve, this did not go unnoticed.

"Miss Peters has been in a bad state since your argument," Dedalus said, refusing to beat around the bush. He looked truly worried as he mentioned the witch.

"She lied to me." Dudley said defensively, "And then she attacked me!" The old wizard nodded slightly in agreement.

"Did she apologize?"

Dudley felt himself blank. "I think she would have, if I hadn't shouted at her...but she still made that glass explode!" He reiterated. Eve had tried to apologize for that, but he had refused to listen. She had scared him that night, which had only fueled his anger.

"Accidental magic is common in younger witches and wizards before and during their attendance at school. Miss Peters was both embarrassed and horrified with her actions. It is considered both childish and insulting for an adult to do such uncontrolled magic," Dedalus explained as they continued their walk. "She also was upset that her magic had unleashed near you, she was terrified at the thought she had hurt you."

Dudley remembered how horrified Eve had looked that night, and how she had followed him upstairs, pleading for him to listen. He couldn't help but feel guilty. He knew he should have started the confrontation differently, even though she _had_ been in the wrong.

"Her lying to you was wrong, and so were her actions, but I know she never intended to try and hurt you. Miss Peters may have some... _unfortunate_ connections, but I know she's a good person."

Dudley just stared down at the marigolds. The glass that Eve had exploded had been apart of what made magic so terrifying to him. Things like the pig's tail, the large purple tongue, the broomstick, and the Dementors gave him the worst impression about magic, and his upbringing hadn't helped any. Yet, there were things like the beautiful dancing flowers, enchanted books, potions that healed, and of course, wizard's chess, which proved that magic could be both good and bad. Just like people.

The sudden epiphany made him feel like a complete toerag. Everyone had their dark sides and moments of weakness. Dudley knew he was no saint; he was still trying to fight off his own inner demons. He couldn't imagine the kind of feelings Eve was going though when she was related to the most hated man in the Wizarding world. She probably felt just as helpless as he did. He knew that he had to try make amends with Eve. People like them need to stick together.

"I have to go. There is something I need to do," He said, excusing himself from their walk.

Dedalus gave him a knowing smile. The marigolds continued to dance as the two parted ways.

* * *

Dudley was hesitant to knock on the Eve's bedroom door. He was surprised to discover the cellar empty when he went to search for her, and even more so when he saw her bedroom light on. Swallowing his pride, he rapped his knuckles on the door's wooden surface.

"It's open."Dudley slowly opened the door a crack and stuck his head in. Eve sat on her bed, several piles of clothes and books surrounded her.

"Hello..." His words were followed by an awkward silence. They stared at each other uneasily.

"...'Lo."

"Can I come in?"

"I guess."

Dudley stepped inside the small room. It was extremely cluttered, to say the least. It was complete opposite from the condition of the well kept cellar. There were bits of parchment scattered around the room, ink was splattered in various places. Trinkets and several photos occupied the entire surface of the window sill. Dudley was especially amused by the poster on the wall which sported a popular, American, Muggle band.

"You could sit down, you know," Eve pointed to the desk chair next to him. "Just push off the books." she said a bit sheepishly. Dudley carefully removed the books and placed them on the crowded desk instead, atop of a stack of papers.

"Sorry, I'm not usually this much of a slob," Eve deadpanned, as her hollow cheeks flushed red.

"S'okay," Dudley mumbled. This was going to be harder than he thought. The silence that followed was almost deafening. He looked around for inspiration to start a conversation. He finally found one on the window sill.

"Who are all these people?" He asked, picking up the moving picture. A small group of kids around thirteen or fourteen crowded into the photo. They all wore the same navy blue sweaters and khaki pants. One blond-haired boy nearly fell off the bench several of them were sitting on. This resulted in the silent laughter of many of the kids, though many of them had a hold of his sleeves to keep him from falling.

"Oh, that was my Class. We were quite the group, you can see our instructor, Professor Walters, in the back of the classroom."

"That's a pretty small graduating class..." He said, looking at the lack students.

"Hell no! Our graduation class topped five hundred! Our _Class,"_ she empahsized, "was our academic group; those who were focused in Potions. After our third year we chose a career path that best suited us and studied with like-minded individuals."

"Oh," Dudley examined the back row, he saw a younger Eve laughing along with a pretty brunette.

"Who's she?"

"That's Audrey, my best friend, everyone called her Drey...then there's Max, Xander,(the one falling out his seat) Gina, (boy, was she a slut) Leanne, Wendy, McKay, (he never did tell anyone his first name) Shantel and Enrique," Eve listed off without taking a breath. She stared at the photo sadly.

"Man, I miss them...Though I doubt they miss me."

Dudley had a nagging feeling that he knew why, and it deepened his realization of Eve's desire to keep things secretive.

"Eve, I'm sorry!" He found himself blurting out suddenly. Eve looked quite startled, as though his outburst was a result of demonic possession. Dudley took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm sorry I yelled at you, I really am. I may have hated the fact that you lied to me, but I think I understand why you did. I'm sorry I called you a coward."

Eve picked at the sleeve of her robe anxiously. "I deserved it; it was wrong and horrid of me to lie and my defensive actions were unjustified. I should have been able to control my damn magic, and I directed it towards you. You have all rights to hate me."

"...I don't hate you." Dudley said to reassure her and secretly himself.

Eve looked back up at him, her black eyes gleaming with hope. "Is there any way you can forgive me? I would rather snap my own wand than hurt you...or any other innocent person, ever again." She quickly added, her face becoming beat red again.

"Yes, I will forgive you. Friends?" Dudley added hopefully, offering her his hand.

"Friends," Eve said with one of her beautifully rare smiles as she shook it.

"There are still so many questions about you and...Err, Snape that I want to ask, but I don't want to force you to answer them, especially if they bother you."

"Thanks," Eve said with a sigh of relief, " I promise I will tell you. I'm just not sure I'm ready to yet. I've had to tell others before, and it just made my life more difficult." Dudley's couldn't help but think of those Order people, he guessed their reaction to Eve's relation to Snape had not boded well with them. He didn't blame the witch for fearing negative outcomes from revealing her past. Though his curiosity was still high.

"Okay, but I'm holding you to your word," Dudley playfully goaded, trying to lighten the mood.

"I cross my heart," Eve snorted, as she traced an invisible 'X' over her chest. "Or would you rather I pinkie promised?"

"What are you, five?"Dudley groaned.

"Sometimes I wish I were."

"Can't blame you there." Dudley glanced up at the poster over Eve's bed again. He gave her an impish smile.

"So, you've got a thing for the Backstreet Boys, huh?"

Eve smacked him upside the head with one of her pillows.

* * *

A/N:Amends are made, but the worst is yet to come...


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: One of my reviewers brought up a good point after my last chapter. There is a lack of references to what is happening to Harry Potter during this time...So, I played around with the idea and decided to add this next chapter as a way to mark a more precise time frame between Rowling's Deathly Hallows and this story. So, if you're one of my old readers/follower, this is a completely new chapter for you.

As always, I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

Chapter 12: The Truth Before Supper

Dudley sat at the kitchen table, futzing around with his portable CD player. Unlike his radio, all of his other electronics had refused to work on Marigold Cabin's property. Eve explained to him once that electronics and magic just didn't mix well, radios were one of the few muggle-based (or in Eve's words 'No-Maj-based') items that transferred over to the magical world. Still, every once in awhile, Dudley would play around with some of his electronics by messing with the wires. So far, his CD player had come to life briefly, but emitted a high-pitched screeching sound instead of music through his headphones.

His father, Vernon Dursley, also sat at the kitchen table, reading a copy of the _Daily Profit_. After being forced to live with wizards for several months, Dudley noticed that his father begrudgingly began to accept a few aspects of magical life; elf-made wine, the self-lighting fireplaces, and the wizarding newspaper, though Dudley suspected his father enjoyed it mostly because every new issue had at least one story about delinquent acts of Harry Potter and his supporters. His father believed the stories despite the fact that Hestia explained that the _Daily Prophet_ was controlled by You-Know-Who's followers.

"Says here, that your good-for-nothing cousin broke into _their_ Ministry yesterday, and stole a precious family heirloom of some Umbridge woman." Vernon scoffed, pointing to the front page that screamed the headline **Potter Breaks into Ministry: the Boy Who Lived to Steal**. Dudley rolled his eyes.

"Dad, that's bull, and you know it." Dudley sighed. The only reason the paper was occasionally smuggled in was because Hestia believed that there was always a speck of truth hidden in the lies of the magical paper, and that it was best to keep an eye on what the enemy was up to

"Actually, that story is true," Eve's voice rang from behind him as she entered the kitchen. Dudley turned to gape at her, she carried a large cup of coffee in her hands and had heavy bags under her eyes. She looked exhausted.

"You're joking," he said in disbelief. His father looked almost giddy at the thought of Harry actually causing trouble, triumph glowed in his eyes.

"Nope," Eve yawned. "Got a patronus message this morning from Arthur. He was actually there when it happened. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley broke into the Ministry of Magic yesterday morning...though we're not sure if he actually stole that "heirloom" from Umbridge or not, and if he did, we have no idea why."

"Wow," was all that Dudley managed to say.

"I knew that boy was trouble," his father said happily. It was like Christmas had come early for the man; he was the happiest Dudley had seen him since they went into hiding.

"I'm sure they had their reason," Eve snorted. "I highly doubt it was a publicity stunt."

"Who asked you, freak?" Vernon said with a glare.

"No one, but I suggest you be a bit nicer to the freak who is making your dinner, especially since she has a full stock of poisons that she can add to your plate." Eve smirked.

"You wouldn't dare." His father choked out, suddenly looking pale, "The other's would kick you out of here!"

"No one said you _had_ to eat what I make. Besides, I'm sure Mrs. Jones would make an exception for you." Eve said with an almost evil look in her eyes.

Vernon sputtered, becoming quite panicked. His large frame jumped out of his seat and out into the hallway faster than Dudley had ever witnessed him move. Eve's expression quickly changed back to mild amusement as she watched him run.

"You aren't really going to poison him, are you?" Dudley couldn't help but ask, even though he was almost certain that she was joking. Eve almost looked offended.

"Hell no! I promised, remember?" She said with a laugh. Dudley weakly joined in, still a little unsure.

"So, what are you making for dinner?" He asked as he stared the large cooking pot that Eve had just conjured out of thin air.

"Chili." Eve shrugged.

Dudley made a slight face. "You sure make a lot of chili and soups."

"I make those because I really don't want to poison anyone," Eve deadpanned. Dudley raised an eyebrow in confusion. " Soups and chili are like potions to me: I can easily make them. But, I am absolutely useless when it come to other things...Like cooking a chicken. Everything I put in the oven come out a disaster."

"Oh," said Dudley simply.

"Yep, I can brew most potions with my eyes closed. But ask me to bake you a lasagna, and you're better off eating the next issue of the _Daily Prophet_."

This time, Dudley let out a real laugh. "Don't give my dad any ideas, he might just do that tonight!" Eve joined in on his laughter.

"Tell him to avoid eating the business section, I heard it's a little _dry_." Eve snorted.

"Ugh! Not a pun." Dudley groaned. Eve's face turned a blotchy red, and she let out a small cough, killing her own laughter. She seemed to tense up a little as she turned back to preparing dinner. Dudley made a face, he enjoyed being around Eve during more relaxed moments; she could be really fun when she wanted to be. Maybe he shouldn't have killed the moment.

"Er, would you like any help?" He asked.

"If you want."

They spent the next few minutes in working in silence. As he cut up the tomatoes, Dudley spoke. "You know," he said. "it was still pretty _punny_."

Eve groaned and rolled her eyes, but her smile had returned.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: So, I think I'll be posting every Friday from now on. It's just easier for me.

Please enjoy(and review!)

* * *

Chapter 13: The Peak Before the Slope

The next two months went by rather quickly in Dudley's opinion, as he and Eve found various ways to pass the time. His days had been occupied with potions experiments, heated debates and the continual learning about the magical world that surrounded him. Recently, he had begun learning about some of the basic spells students learned in school. Eve insisted it was a good idea for him to recognize particular spells, so he would know which spells run from, and how to handle its effects if he were ever hit by one. The thought of being attacked made him uneasy, but the witch did have a point. If anything, it was amazing to see how different combinations of words and movements could produce so many kinds of spells.

It was already Christmas eve and the house had been decorated in various green and red ribbons. Dudley had helped Dedalus and Hestia decorate the tree in the lounge the night before. The thoughts of this holiday were lifting everyone's spirits. Even his mother and father were in more agreeable moods. Dudley's happiness had only escalated when he looked outside his window that morning.

Dudley rushed down the cellar stairs in a frenzy. In his excitement he nearly tripped on the last step and had to cling to the railing to stay upright.

"Eve, did you see how much it snowed last night?!"

Eve sat down at her usual bench, cutting up ingredients. She looked slowly up at him through her curtain of lanky hair.

"Yeah...?" She responded, as though she didn't understand his reaction.

"There has to be about twenty-seven centimeters out there!" Dudley said with a deflating tone, disappointed by his friend's lack of enthusiasm.

"Twenty-seven centimeters," Eve repeated, as she poured some finely chopped Plumrocks into a clear jar. "Roughly eleven inches. I'm sorry, I should be excited because?"

"Because," he explained with exasperation, "It never snows that much here! I don't think I've ever seen this much all at once!"

"Oh, right. I suppose I forgot how little it snows here. I'm used to a lot of snow back home, it's nothing special to me."

The room went silent. Dudley nervously scratched the back of his head. Eve had returned her attention to her potions ingredients. He felt his mouth go strangely dry before he spoke again.

"Want to...go hang outside for a bit?" He asked hesitantly as he found himself staring at the cellar floor.

"Uh...sure," Eve's cheeks turned all red and blotchy for a brief moment before returning to their usual pale color. She capped the last of the diced Plumrocks into a beaker. "Let me just get my coat."

* * *

Outside it was beautiful; the snow had covered everything except for the colorful marigolds in a thick blanket of white. Dudley tromped through the snow in a pair of sneakers that Eve had transfigured into boots for him. They stopped in a clearing void of any animal or gnome tracks and happily observed the untouched field of snow.

"Hmm, great packing snow...want to build a snowman?" Eve asked as she scooped up the snow with mittened hands.

It had taken a good hour and a half to roll snowballs big enough to make a six foot tall snowman. Eve had refused to do magic and insisted that they lift the huge snowballs themselves. They had to remake the torso after dropping it the first time.

Normally, Dudley would have refused to do something as "stupid" as build a snowman like a little kid, and would much rather had thrown snowballs at locals and cars. Now, here he was, building a large snowman with a girl he had only know for a few months to fight off boredom.

After they had finished, the two of them stood back to admire their work. Eve had gathered some branches to form a pair of arms and Dudley had found some rocks of various sizes to make the mouth and eyes.

"He needs a nose," Eve mused, rubbing her chin in thought. She walked over to the large oak tree and pried off a piece of bark that had become partly detached from Dudley's flying incident earlier that year. She walked back to to the snowman and jabbed it in the face with the broken bark. The splinter gave their creation a horribly long and jagged nose.

"There!" Eve laughed "He looks fabulous."

"Yeah, just don't give him a mirror."

"Hey!" Eve said with a mock scowl. She picked up a chunk of snow and hurled it at him. He dodged it and it disappeared into the snow behind him.

"You really want to start this?" Dudley warned, stooping low to the ground. Eve threw another one, hitting his left shoulder.

"It's your funeral," he sighed. He formed a ball of snow in his hand and threw it right back.

* * *

Dusk came much too quickly for Dudley. They had spent a few hours chucking snowballs at one another. Eve had taken shelter behind their snowman and had soon built a wall around it. Her well structured fort, combined with her throwing skills had forced Dudley into a retreat behind the large oak tree, where he built his own base of operation as he slowly tryed to overpower her. He succeeded when his last throw had hit Eve right on the side of her face. She let out an exaggerated groan and slumped behind the wall of her fort.

"Are you okay?" Dudley asked as he approached her cautiously, wondering if she was resorting to trickery to make a surprise attack. Eve lay sprawled out on the ground, eyes staring blankly at the grey sky.

"I surrender," she said, waving an invisible flag in tired defeat. "I can not recover from this wound." Eve exclaimed, dropping her hand to the side of her face, which had turned bright red from the impact.

"Ouch," Dudley cringed instinctively "See, I told you it would be your funeral."

"At least I died valiantly," she sighed. Eve remained motionless for several seconds.

"Dudley?"

"Yeah?"

"A little help, please?"

"I really should just leave you there, but because I am such a wonderful person, I suppose I could," Dudley mocked. Eve rolled her eyes exuberantly as he helped her to her feet. She stumbled a bit trying to regain her footing and had to cling to Dudley for support and ended up knocking heads with him.

"Ahh, sorry," Eve hissed as she rubbed her forehead."Damn, my face is attracted to pain today."

"Ouch, is this your form of revenge?" Dudley asked with a dry laugh, picking his head up. Eve's face was incredibly close to his own, their bodies touching. He felt an odd lurching sensation in the pit of his stomach, almost like he was about to take a test he had not studied for. Her dark eyes looked at him with curiosity.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said, pulling away from her. She cocked an eyebrow before turning her attention elsewhere.

"Ugh, I should have cast a water repellent charm on my clothes! My pants are soaked," Eve groaned, pulling at her jeans. "Let's get inside before they freeze to my skin."

The two of them tromped back to the cabin, shaking clumps of snow out of their hair and clothes along the way. When they stepped inside the front door they were greeted with the warm, gingerbread scented air of the indoors. Dudley shrugged off his drenched coat and hung it on the coat rack, his clothes underneath were damp.

"Oh! Hang on, I know a drying spell...Hmmmm..." Eve paused for a second in though before waving her wand. Dudley suddenly felt like he was standing in front of a giant, silent, hair dryer. Granted, his clothes had become miraculously dry, but a quick glance in the mirror revealed that his hair had become a crazy mess.

"My bad," Eve let out a snort over his reaction. "If you think you look ridiculous, check this out," Eve pointed the wand towards herself. With a sudden burst of air, the hair on her head shot straight back, giving her appearance an almost cartoonish nature. They both busted out in laughter for several seconds before they caught sight of his mother's disapproving scowl as she was walking to the kitchen.

The hardest thing about the past few weeks was watching his mother become more enraged at their newly-regained friendship. Despite telling her of the last time, Petunia had taken to following him around lately, monitoring them in an attempt to keep them as far apart as possible( which was no small feat in such enclosed quarters.) Though Dudley was beginning to forgive her for their argument earlier that year, they were still not on the best of terms with each other. There was always a cloud of tension looming between them.

"Dudley, have you been outside all day? You could catch a cold, you wouldn't want to be sick for Christmas!" She cooed in her mothering tone, though her scornful eyes never left Eve.

"I'll be fine mum, Eve used a spell to dry me off," Dudley shrugged, knowing that in one sentence he had mentioned two of the three things that she seemed hate most: magic and Eve. The third, most likely, was Snape.

Petunia seemed to be caught between appeasing her son to make amends and cursing the abnormality of his words. The result was an odd sort of grimace that made her eye twitch slightly. With that, she turned on her heel and disappeared through the kitchen doorway.

* * *

Supper that night had been sandwiches and gingerbread for dessert, not much for a Christmas eve dinner. Hestia had promised a more elaborate meal for tomorrow. Their meals had become gradually smaller and with less variety in the past couple months and snacks were offered less and less. Wherever their food came from, Dudley couldn't help feeling that they were receiving less from that source. He often wondered as the war continued, if that eventually there would be no more sources to give them food, because apparently, food was one of the few things magic couldn't produce. How long would this war continue: months, years?! He pondered these things before trying to force his mind back into the Holiday spirit as they sat down to eat and drink.

"Hand me some of that whiskey stuff," His father demanded, nodding to Hestia across the table. Hestia made a sour face but obliged. Which wasn't a bad thing, because after a few drinks he was much more agreeable with the wizard and witches that lived with them.

That's why Dudley wasn't completely surprised that his father and mother, reluctantly, agreed to join the festivities of the others in the lounge after supper. Sure, there would be some insults thrown about, but it would be in an almost awkwardly cheerful way.

It was strange to Dudley to be sitting around, gleefully talking with others, rather than unwrapping some of his gifts by their Christmas tree back at Number 4 Privet Drive. Dudley wasn't even sure if he was getting presents this year. He certainly hadn't gotten gifts for anyone. He felt even more strange that he wasn't very bothered by it.

While Dedalus told an old story about visiting Marigold Cabin when he was little, Hestia passes Dudley a small red bag of what appeared to be jelly beans. The tag on the drawstring boasted about having beans of every flavor. He shrugged and pulled out a red, cherry flavored looking one. He popped it in his mouth and instantly regretted it. It tasted strongly of metal and reminded him of the taste of losing a tooth or biting on his lip. They weren't kidding when they said _every_ flavor! He was afraid to try more. He spat it out in a napkin and handed the bag over to Eve.

Eve just smirked and rifled through the small bag, pulling out a small handful, selected a few and threw the rest back in. She popped a blue one in her mouth and smiled. Noticing the dirty look he was giving her, she handed him a white and yellow speckled one. He glanced back and forth between the bean in his palm and the girl next to him, unsure whether it was safe to eat it or not. She just shrugged and took it back, happy to eat it.

After a few more rounds of drinks and stories (only occasionally being interrupted by Dudley's parents) the group called it a night after the clock on the fireplace mantel chimed midnight.

"Happy Christmas everyone, have a good night!" Dedalus yawed, getting up from his chair with a stretch. Dudley's parents had already rounded the corner, not returning the dismissal.

"Happy Christmas," Dudley replied to the two eldest wizards.

"See you in the morning," Eve said as she also got up from her seat. The witch and wizard said their goodnights and descended down the hall. He and Eve were the last ones to retire to bed.

"Happy Christmas, Eve," Dudley said once they reached the doorway.

"Merry Christmas, Dudley," she whispered, her cheeks forming red blotches again. Her gaze wandered to a spot over his head. "Oh, how cliché," she muttered.

"What? What is?" Dudley asked looking above him. He stared blankly at the little, green plant above him. His heart raced when his brain registered what it was.

"Stupid mistletoe," Eve chuckled, taking a step closer to him. "I suppose that means I should kiss you."

His heart jumped into his throat as she leaned in, he closed his eyes.

"Dudley!" A voice screeched from down the hall, "It's bedtime!" his mother shouted, putting extreme emphasis on each word. Dudley had half a mind to tell his mother off again, but he didn't want to start another argument. Not on Christmas.

Dudley snapped open his eyes, Eve had jumped a good distance away from him, her face now completely red. He felt anger fill his chest.

"Fine, Mum," he seethed, glaring at his mother. "Goodnight, Eve," he sighed as he joined his mother down the hall. He gave one last glare at his mother and closed his bedroom door behind him. He heard his mother hiss something at Eve before the sound of her own door closing could be heard.

Dudley went to bed that night fuming, not knowing in the next few hours that everything was about to get worse: much, much, worse.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: A Downward Spiral

Just mere hours after he had fallen asleep, Dudley shot out of bed, awakened by what sounded like a gigantic clap of thunder. His heart had skipped a beat in shock. The enormous noise was followed by a large crackling, hissing sound, like someone had turned a telly onto a static station and cranked the volume up as high as it could go. It was an awful noise that seemed to be surrounding the cabin.

"What the fu-" Dudley gasped, losing his voice as he saw what was transpiring outside his bedroom window.

The once invisible barrier that stood many several yards from his window had turned an opaque red. Near the top of its dome like structure, large chunks of the wall were cracking off and fizzling into nothingness. Just outside of the red shield, Dudley swore he saw something black and smoke-like dart across the snowy field. He knew something had to be terribly wrong; a feeling of dread swelled up inside his gut.

"Dudley!" his mother cried, bursting into the room. "Thank goodness you're alright!" she cried, clutching onto him.

"Mum, what's going on?!" Dudley stammered, actually allowing his mother to hug him this time. His mother said nothing, but went pasty white as an especially large chunk of wall sizzled out.

That particular piece must have been like an invisible pillar, because seconds later the entire wall sort of imploded on itself. The rush of magic shattered his window inward, causing his mother to scream and pull him away. Bits of glass littered the floor, the now open hole in the wall let in the bitter cold.

"What the hell is happening?" Dudley's father yelled as he entered his son's room. Dedalus and Hestia were right on his heels.

"Everyone, try and stay calm!" Hestia ordered, "We need to get you out of here as soon as possible, we are under attack."

"Under attack?! You said you people would protect us! I knew we shouldn't have trusted any of your lot!" His father roared, clenching his fists as though he was about to punch the woman's nose in.

Hestia didn't even flinch at the gesture,"Well, you'll have to trust us anyways right now, because your other option is dying at the hands of Death Eaters," her voice cracked as she spoke.

Suddenly, just down the hall, they heard the splintering of wood as the front door was savagely being busted down.

"Quickly, you three get down to the cellar and head for the cellar doors that lead into the back garden, Miss Peters will lead you to safety," Dedalus urged, motioning them down the hall.

"What about you guys?" Dudley asked as they hurried out."We'll keep them busy as long as possible...Miss. Peters, there you are! Take them out through the cellar. Get past the Apparition wards and get them out of here!"

Dudley had to do a double take at the woman had appeared in front of the group. At first glance, he didn't recognize the mop of curly, golden hair, but he could see his friend's dark eyes underneath the blonde bangs she now donned. He wanted to question the disguise, but now was really not the right time.

"I'm not just leaving you both here!" Eve protested from the top of the stairs as the Dursleys ran past her. "I want to fight with you!"

"This isn't up for debate, you have to keep them safe!"

Eve gritted her teeth in frustration, it was obvious that she was not going to convince the small wizard."Where are we supposed to go?!" she asked.

"Anywhere they won't go looking for you! Go!" he cried, pushing her out of the doorway, and down the stairs. Dudley had to catch her a few steps down. Dedalus slammed the cellar door in their faces.

The cellar was incredibly dark. Eve quickly regained her balance and lit her wand up. The light emanated duly throughout the room. She took a few deep breaths before speaking.

"Alright, everyone, quickly and quietly follow me," she whispered. Mr. Dursley was about to protest before Eve slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Shhhhh!" She hissed. There was another loud banging noise coming from upstairs accompanied by shouting. Though he gave her an affronted look, Dudley's father didn't try to say anything. He watched as she gave an involuntary shiver.

Eve waved her wand again, this time a black purse flew out from one of the cabinets and into her hands, she slung it over her arm and motioned for them to follow her.

The group quickly scurried over to the other side of the cellar, Eve made her way to the cellar doors and tapped her wand against its wooden surface. She closed her eyes in concentration.

"Nobody is waiting for us on the other side, good," She was speaking in a voice Dudley was barely able to hear. She waved her wand and the door quietly swung open, exposing them to the harsh winter wind.

"Okay, on my count, we are going to make a dash towards the woods, once there, we'll be outside the Apparition wards and be able to Apparate out of here."

"Are you mad?" his father said in a harsh whisper "That has to be half a kilometer away!"*

"Well, if you have a better idea, I'm all for it," Eve snapped. His father was once again reduced to silence.

"Ready?" she asked them, gripping her wand tightly. "Three...t-"

With a sudden "Bang!" the outside wall of the kitchen crumbled as flames spider-webbed their way out of the gap.

Dudley couldn't remember if Eve had shouted for them the run, but next thing he knew they were hurrying through the snow in their socks and slippers towards the woods. Dudley had never ran so fast in his life. Dudley and his mother raced ahead of the other two, Eve stayed behind his father despite his slow pace.

When he reached the woods, he finally looked at the scene behind him. His mother cried frantically at his side as the flames consumed Marigold Cabin. Eve and his father were still several meters behind them. Dudley's eyes darted back towards the cabin where a cloaked figure stood at the open, fiery gap in the wall. The figure raised its wand at the runners.

"Dad! Eve! Look out!" Dudley shouted as loud as he could before an orange light shout out at the runners.

Quick to respond, Eve transfigured the snow into a shield of ice. The spell hit it, returning it to its previously powdered state. She sent a retaliation of yellow light which the figure easily 's father slipped and fell from fear and struggled to get back up.

Several more flashes of light were exchanged back and forth between the two of them. With each strike, the Death Eater advanced forward. Eve had managed to help his father up as she continued casting spells, trying to keep them at bay. The Death Eater shouted something loudly, sending a shock of emerald light at the two. Eve twisted around to defend the both of them, but succumbed to the slippery snow. The light went shooting over her, hitting Vernon Dursley right in the back. He fell face forward into the snow, unmoving. Dudley didn't want to believe it, but he knew deep inside that his father wouldn't be getting back up.

"Vernon!" Dudley's mother screamed as she attempted to run towards her husband. Dudley found himself instinctively pulling her back. He felt himself go into autopilot; everything sound seemed to deafen, every sight became blurred. He felt as if he was watching somebody else's life, rather than his own. That fallen man wasn't his father, it was somebody else's. Dudley felt his mother struggling and sobbing against him, but he only found himself holding onto her even tighter.

When Eve saw what happened, she let out a horrific cry like a wounded animal. With an impressive amount of agility, she leapt up and threw a ball of dark red light at the enemy. The man screamed and fell to the ground, writhing in pure agony. Whatever spell she had used was powerful, and painful. With another wand motion, the enemy's wand flew into her outstretched hands. She quickly stowed it away in her bag.

After several seconds of waiting to see if the Death Eater would get back up, Eve ran to where his father lay and let out another mournful cry. She stared at him for several moments, bowing her head.

Suddenly, another smoky black cloud zoomed into the sky, sending out a dark flash of magic. Above the cabin a emerald figure of a skull and snake appeared, Dudley recoiled in fear as his mother let out another sob.

The smoky figure was joined by several other ones as they circled the remains of the cabin. Terrified, Eve fled from the clearing and headed straight for the woods, leaving the body of his father behind.

"Wait!" a voice feebly cried out. A small person stumbled from the wreckage. Eve stopped just in front of Dudley and his mother before turning to look back. The small figure struggled through the snow towards them. The flying mists seemed to have heard them cry out.

"Shit! Hold on to me," Eve demanded him. Robotically, he latched both his and his mother's hands onto the witch's free arm.

"Accio, Mr. Diggle!" she cried out. The small figure many meters away came zipping towards them. The injured Dedalus flew into her outstretched arm. The black mists circling the cabin all had directed their attention to the group and changed course, heading straight for them!

Eve closed her eyes in panic. Dudley could hear her mutter to herself.

"Somewhere where they can't find us, somewhere safe...Somewhere where they would never, ever, look..."She said several times as the mists approached the edge of the woods. Eve then turned on the spot.

* * *

Dudley once remembered asking the magical residents of Marigold Cabin they felt while apparating after having experienced it only once before. Dedalus claimed it felt like being squeezed through a rubber tube. Hestia insisted it was like being squashed by giant hands, yet Eve swore the sensation was akin to being sucked into a vacuum.

To Dudley, Apparition was none of those things. To him, his body felt frozen between one heartbeat and the next, like going down the stairs and missing a step, causing the body to panic like feeling it was about to fall. Though it was his second time apparating, he was still unprepared for the amount of discomfort that he felt.

Next thing he knew, he landed forcefully onto a carpeted floor. He heard others groan around him. Dudley weakly sat up to observe his surroundings. He had to clutch his stomach as a wave a nausea hit him. He regretted eating that Christmas chili.

They appeared to be in a very small living room. The space was only able to hold a love seat and an armchair. The walls were lined with a few bookshelves and it was lined with a deep red wallpaper that clashed with the multi colored carpeting.

"Who are you people?!" An unfamiliar voice exclaimed from behind them. Dudley turned to find a wand in his face. He stared up at the man in front of him, who appeared to be only a few years his senior. The striped pajamas he wore didn't quite mix with the serious expression on his face and his glasses sat askew on the end of his nose. His curly, vibrant hair almost matched the wall behind him.

Whether, Dudley's nausea was from the Apparition or the traumatic events that had just taken place, he didn't know. What he did know was that his response was him emptying the contents of his stomach onto the feet of the stranger in front of him.

* * *

A/N: The plot thickens! There is no going back. Who is the mysterious man that Dudley upchucked on?! Stay tuned for next weeks update!


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: The war has become a real part of Dudley's life. How will he cope?

Please read and review!

* * *

Chapter 13: A Broken Christmas

The man gaped down at Dudley and the vomit at his feet. The strength of the stench was almost enough to make Dudley puke again, but his immense fear kept him from doing so. The man seemed to be completely at a loss for words. It took him several moments before he waved his wand over the mess, vanishing both it and the smell with a single spell. He then returned to pointing his wand at Dudley.

"Who are you people?" he repeated, his voice cold and cringed, waiting to be transfigured into something horrible. Suddenly, a flash of blonde jumped between them. Eve aimed her wand directly between the stranger's eyes. Her curly disguise had become matted with melted snow, she looked almost manic.

"Who are you!?" she demanded, ready to strike at the stranger.

"I shouldn't have to indulge that information to you. This is my home!" he defended, his wand now pointed at her chest. "Who are you and how do you know my location?" The man's hand twitched, prepared to hex her.

Eve manually disarmed him by slapping his wand right out of his hand. The stranger gave her a horrified and look, as though her magic-less disarming was nothing less than appalling. Eve, however, smirked at his expression and slammed him up against the wall.

"Tell us who you are and where we are, now!" Eve hissed, forcing the tip of her wand against the hollow of his throat. "Or you'll sorely regret it..."

"Miss Peters, no!" Dedalus warned, "This man isn't our enemy!" The small wizard stood up, clutching his left arm in pain. He hobbled over, forcing himself between them. Eve let out a huffy sigh, but lowered her wand. Dedalus looked up at the spectacled young man with a grim smile.

"Percy, my dear boy, I haven't seen you in years. How are you?" The man looked down in shock and adjusted his glasses.

"Dedalus Diggle?" The man asked, as though he were the last person he ever expected to find in his home.

"Yes," the smaller wizard replied solemnly.

"What are you doing here...And who are they?" Percy asked, nodding to the people behind Dedalus.

"Death Eaters..." Dedalus answered, not going into detail. From the look on the red head's face he didn't have to. "Hestia Jones, Miss Peters and I were appointed to keep Harry Potter's muggle relatives safe..." He trailed off, seeming too distraught to continue.

"Mr. Diggle, where _is_ Ms. Jones?" Eve whispered, her voice cracking. The old wizard looked over his shoulder at her, his bright blue eyes were glassy and accompanied by a grave expression. He said nothing. Eve let out an odd sort of whimper, her hands twitching like they always seemed to do when she was anxious.

Dudley felt his stomach churn; he felt like he was going to be sick all over again. First his father and now...Dudley closed his eyes, trying to keep what little amount of composure he still had to refrain from puking again. He turned his attention to his mother, who lay just inches to his left. Her eyes were wide with fear and anguish, her pale body trembled in silent tears. Dudley sat up, and forced his mother to do the same, he sat her down on the small love seat, trying to comfort her the best he could.

Percy glanced over at Dudley and his mother, concern lining his face.

"Why come here of all places? How do you even know where I live?" he asked Dedalus after a long pause.

"I'm not entirely sure, it was Miss Peters that Apparated us all here," the two looked over to Eve, who appeared to be just as confused as the rest of them. The red headed man stepped closer to her, and held out his hand in a formal gesture.

"Percy Weasley, have we met before?" he asked, his eye fixated on her face, as though he might recognize her.

 _Another Weasley_? Dudley briefly thought. _How many magical Weasley's were there?_! Then again, he probably shouldn't have been so surprised; the red hair was a dead giveaway. However, at the moment he could not honestly care less who the guy was, as long as they were safe.

"No, though I believe I have heard of you" Eve deadpanned, her eyes narrowing as she cautiously took his hand.

"Funny, I have never heard of you."

Eve ignored his statement and continued,"I was only looking for a safe place, somewhere that the Death Eaters wouldn't go looking for us. I guess I really didn't have a set destination-" She stopped abruptly, seeming unsure of the whole ordeal.

Dudley vaguely remembered reading something about unspecified destination Apparition a few months ago at the cabin. Dudley shook his head to clear his thoughts; he didn't even want to acknowledge anything about that place right now.

"I suppose it doesn't matter how you got here; the important thing is that you are out of danger for now. I'm not exactly sure how I can help, but I'll try my best," Percy said a bit doubtfully. Eve let out a relaxed breath, turning her attention to her comrade.

"Let me look at your arm, Mr. Diggle," she said, noticing the way he gripped it in pain. Dedalus nodded and sat down in the chair nearby. Eve gently ran her fingers across the top of his arm, Dedalus flinched.

"Can you move your hand and fingers?"

Percy Weasley picked up his wand from the floor and walked over to Dudley and his mother, turning his attention away from the other two.

"Are either of you two injured?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Petunia said nothing, not even bothering to glance up. Dudley looked at his mother; she was shaken and clearly distraught, but physically appeared to be uninjured. Dudley felt like he was about to topple over from the terrible stress of the night, but he slowly shook his head.

Percy gave them a small frown, "Do you need something to drink, something that might help settle your nerves?"

 _Three full bottles of Firewhiskey sounds good_ , Dudley thought dryly. What did it matter anyways? Calming his nerves wasn't going to bring his father or Hestia back. Despite his inner thoughts, he nodded.

"Tea?" Percy asked. He just nodded again, whatever it took to get the ginger out of his face. Percy sighed and walked out of the living room, presumably to the kitchen.

"Just as I thought," Eve said to Dedalus, "It's dislocated. We are going to have to set it back in."

"I believe there is a spell for that," Dedalus said with a nod, "Do you know it?"

"Of course I do, But it's a certified Healer's spell and I haven't gone through the training, I could easily mess up and end up injuring you a lot more," Eve pinched the bridge of her nose. "The safest bet is for us to set it manually." Dedalus made a face, but didn't protest.

Dudley figured Percy must have made the tea magically, because he hadn't been gone more than a minute before returning with two steaming cups of tea.

"Sorry, I don't have any sugar," he apologized, handing Dudley a cup. Dudley shrugged and immediately set his on the side table, not really interested in having any. His mother remained motionless, staring at the tea cup on her lap.

"Where are we exactly?" Dudley finally asked, uncomfortable with Percy just staring at him.

"In London, this is my apartment," Percy answered. London?! Dudley wasn't sure where in England they had been previously, but he knew it had to be hundreds of kilometers away from London. That was a long distance to Apparate.

"Weasley," Eve called, looking over her shoulder. "I could use some assistance, please."

Percy gave a visible shiver at the sound of her authoritative voice, as though he had heard it before. Nonetheless, he walked over to help.

"I need you to hold Mr. Diggle still while I pop his arm back into his socket," she explained.

"How barbaric!" Percy exclaimed, looking at her like she was crazy.

"Are you a Healer? Do you know the risks of improper healing spells?" She asked icily, glaring at him. He just stared at her blankly.

"That's what I thought, now either help me or get out of my way."

The expression on Percy's face matched the way Dudley had used to react when Eve had an abrasive attitude. She could be downright scary when she wanted to be. Dudley couldn't help but flinch and look away when Eve set Dedalus's arm back, he swore he could hear it pop back into place.

"Thank you," she said to Percy, her tone switching to a softer, kinder one. "Feel better Mr. Diggle?"

"Yes, thank you," Dedalus responded, flexing his once immobile arm. Eve gave him a weak smile before standing up and turning around.

Dudley could almost hear her mind switching gears when she glanced over at him and his mother on the couch. Her pale complexion had shaded to a sickly green. She staggered over to the couch and kneeled down in front of him and his mother. Eve placed a trembling hand on his arm. She stared up at them with shiny, dark eyes.

"Dudley...Mrs. Dursley...I-I'm so sorry. I thought I could protect all of you, I was wrong. I'm sorry. His death was all my fault," she choked a little on the last few words, failing miserably to cover it with a cough.

Dudley felt a flood of emotions overcome him. He had the desire to avoid, hug and punch her all at once. He knew she was being completely sincere and was grieving, but he somehow felt totally hollow to her words. He didn't know how to respond and continued to quietly stare back at her.

Petunia Dursley, who had been almost entirely silent since they had arrived in Percy's home, had a completely different reaction.

"Sorry?!" his mother spat "My husband is dead because of you!" She loomed over the kneeling girl, who's eyes were now widened with fear. "You took my husband away from me, just like your slimy father took away my sister!"

With a fit of rage, she tossed the hot tea that had been setting in her lap right at let out a painful cry, covering her now reddened arm and face.

"MUM! What the hell?!" Dudley shouted, grabbing a hold of her before she decided to lunge at his friend. His mother's mouth open and closed rapidly, like a fish out of water. She looked nearly as shocked as the rest of them did before returning to her previous, emotionless state.

Dedalus and Percy rushed to the witch's aid.

"Oh, dear," Dedalus whispered as he hobbled over, his body obviously still injured, "Let me see it," he coaxed, gently prying her hands away from her face. Dudley cringed at the sight of her bright red skin that looked like a terrible sunburn. A lock of her fake blonde hair fell onto her cheek. Eve let out a moan.

"This damn hair!" Eve cried, gingerly trying to grab something at the back of her head.

"Hey, I recognize that..." Percy said, pulling the object from her hair that she had been trying to get a hold of. "This is one of Fred and George's products!" He exclaimed, holding a purple clip between his fingers. Within seconds, Eve's golden locks quickly dissolved back to slick, black curtains.

The look on Percy's face was pretty priceless, despite the serious situation.

"I knew there was something familiar about you..." He growled, glaring down at Eve, who at this point was nearly in tears from the burning tea

"Percy..." Dedalus warned, "Now, isn't the time."

"But, Severus Snape-"

"You of all people, Percy Weasley, should understand that it's not always the best judgement to compare a person to their family," Dedalus snapped, cutting him short. Percy looked dumbstruck and his ears turned a funny shade of reddish-purple, but he didn't press the matter further.

"Help me guide her into the kitchen for some better lighting," Percy gave him a reluctant nod, roughly helping the half blinded girl to her feet.

"Dudley," Dedalus said "Keep an eye on your mother," he shot Dudley's mother a sharp glare. Dudley had never seen Mr. Diggle show any sort of anger before.

"There's some burn salve in my purse," Eve croaked as they began to walk out of the room. Dedalus picked up the worn bag as they descended down the hall.

"Mum, what were you thinking!" Dudley demanded, trying to shake her out of her trance. Over the past few months, his mother had shocked him as she became less and less like the woman who raised him. He felt like he hardly knew the person he was holding. Petunia's eyes blinked rapidly, before focusing again. She stared at him for several seconds before bursting into tears. Dudley held onto his mother as she sobbed into his nightshirt. He let her cry for a while before allowing himself to shed a few tears of his own.

* * *

That morning, Dudley lay silently on a cot in Percy's bedroom, staring at the blank wall in front of him. Percy was snoring quietly on the bed nearby and he could hear Dedalus's heavy breathing in the cot near him.

Dudley couldn't sleep; his mind was a twisted mess.

 _My father is dead._

 _How can I feel pain, and yet feel nothing at all?_

 _What if Eve hadn't fallen in the snow and the curse hit her instead?_

 _Don't think like that._

 _We might have all died._

 _My father is dead._

 _Had Snape been responsible for his aunt's death? Was that why his mother hated Eve?_

 _Why did Percy act that way when Dedalus mentioned not comparing someone to family?_

 _My mother is going off the deep end..._

 _Because my father is dead_.

Yesterday, he had been playing out in the snow, like a carefree child. He had been happy for the upcoming holiday.

Today was Christmas and his father and Hestia were dead.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: There has been some weird formatting issues with the last chapter. I transferred that chapter from my iPad; something really screwed up in the transfer. I'll fix it soon. Hopefully, the issues didn't arise with this and future chapters.

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 16: All Cards on the Table

"Get up," A disembodied voice commanded through the sea of darkness. His black world was being shaken by an outside force. Dudley groaned, pushing air from the bottom of his lungs and up through his recently neglected vocal cords. His throat felt dry and scratchy. He swatted at the hand resting on his shoulder, not even bothering to open his eyes; he enjoyed the emptiness of the dark world behind his eyelids. Even if he wanted to, it would be difficult to do so with the layer of crust he felt on them.

"Come on, get up now," the voice said with a more firm tone. Dudley shuddered; he hated, no, absolutely _loathed_ , that voice. It jabbed into his brain like an ice pick.

"Get up before I hex you out," the voice warned. Dudley inwardly scoffed at the hollow threats. He had no desire to move. He was suddenly pushed off of his cot by a large burst of air. He fell to the floor, completely tangled in his his eyes open, he glared up into the brown eyes that looked down at him.

Dudley truly, deeply, wanted to hate Percy Weasley and moments like these fueled that passion. He hated those obnoxious horn-rimmed glasses, his "I art better than thou" mannerisms, and his voice made Dudley want to punch the git in the face every time he heard it.

Despite this, Dudley could not bring himself to hate the guy.

Percy Weasley had become a rock for the survivors of Marigold Cabin. The week they had been there, Percy did his best to take care of them all. He disappeared off to work for most of the day, only to return to the apartment late in the evening with food to cook. Then he would make them all supper. He even made sure Dudley ate each night before heading off to bed only to do it all over again the next day.

"Fine," Dudley spat as he sat up, his eyes still locked on Percy.

"And take a shower, you smell disgusting," Percy wrinkled his nose.

Dudley stood to tell him off, but one whiff told him otherwise. He settled for gritting his teeth as he pushed past the bespectacled man.

Dudley tromped down the hall towards the bathroom, he paused for a moment at the study door, where his mother was staying. Dudley hadn't seen his mum since Christmas morning. Dudley's stomach lurched. Christmas felt like yesterday and yet a million years ago, if that were somehow possible. Just the thought of that night still made him feel sick to his stomach. He debated knocking on the door, just to check in on her, but withdrew his hand at last second.

Down the hall, Dudley could hear Eve bustling around the kitchen. Ever since that night, Dudley would hear her constantly moving around the apartment as though she was unable to sit still. Dudley paused to listen to Eve mumble something, presumably to Dedalus because a voice from the other side of the kitchen responded.

Part of Dudley wanted to walk in and rejoin the living, to pretend that everything was alright, but the weight of reality was too heavy to ignore. Quietly, he entered the bathroom, not wanting to draw attention to himself.

* * *

After a long, hot shower and a pair of Percy's clothes that had been magically adjusted to fit him, he felt human again. Though he couldn't help but be annoyed because this was just another reason to not actually hate the Weasley.

By the time Dudley was ready to interact with the world, it was almost suppertime. He couldn't believe how whacked out his sleeping schedule had become, time kind of stopped having any meaning for him when he had just laid in bed. Oddly enough, he wasn't very hungry either.

By the time he had made his way to the kitchen, he could smell warm tomato sauce. Eve stood alone in the kitchen, too busy preparing spaghetti to notice him standing in the doorway.

"Sup?" He managed to croak out.

Eve did a funny jump, nearly dropping the spoon she was holding.

"Dudley!" she cried "Don't do that!"

"Sorry," he coughed, scratching the back of his neck in hesitation. He might have found scaring her humorous at one point, but he couldn't even seem to crack a smile anymore.

"Don't worry about it," Eve said after taking a deep breath, "It's good to see you out and about again."

"It's been a rough week..." Eve nodded, not making eye contact with him.

"Hey, where's Dedalus and Percy?" he asked, noticing the absence of footsteps moving around the apartment.

"Percy just went out to buy some food for tomorrow, and hopefully some clothing as well." she added. "Mr. Diggle retired for the evening, he hasn't been feeling his best lately."

"Oh," was all Dudley managed to respond with.

"Would you like to help me? We just need to wait for the noodles to finish up."

"Sure," Dudley nodded. It felt good to finally be up and doing something.

* * *

After dropping off plates of spaghetti to his mother and Dedalus, Dudley and Eve sat down to a very quiet dinner, both of them were too impatient to wait for Percy to return to sit down.

It was difficult for Dudley to eat, he hadn't had much food the past few days, let alone while sitting at a table. He chewed each bite several times with dull concentration, forcing himself to think of nothing but the basic motions of eating.

Eve didn't appear to be enjoying her dinner either; she just kept twirling her noodles on her plate into a tangled mess, and only picked at pieces of her Texas toast.

In the middle of his thirteenth bite, Dudley was snapped out of his chewing trance at the sound of Percy coming through the front door. He heard the creaking and final slam it created and the thump of Percy tossing his shoes on the floor. The two of them turned to see the exhausted Weasley as he entered the kitchen, his arms full with a large paper bag.

"...I smell food," he simply stated, rather than greeting them properly.

"Spaghetti is in the pan," Eve answered, nodding towards the fireplace.

"Ah," He responded, placing the bag onto the counter top, "I have some more food for tomorrow. He rummaged through the bag and pulled out a smaller plastic one.

"Oh, Eve, I found you some clothes," Percy threw the bag towards the girl, who caught it.

"Yes, thank you!" Eve said in the most cheerful tone Dudley had heard all week. She pulled out a pair of jeans and two t-shirts from the bag. They looked worn but clean. Percy had been slowly gathering clothing for each of them the past few days with the remainder of his paycheck. Up until today, Eve had gone around wearing her pajamas or a set of Percy's robes. She seemed very pleased with the gift he had given her.

Percy gave her a ghost of a smile in return before pulling out his wand. With a simple figure eight motion, a plate flew from the cupboard and the spoon magically ladled a helping of spaghetti onto it. It then placed itself gently onto the table, waiting for him to consume it.

Percy flopped down into his chair, he looked exhausted, despite the fact that he hadn't had to work today.

"You look completely spent," Eve acknowledged as she observed the purplish bags under his eyes. "Maybe you should get some rest,"

"What I do is none of your concern," Percy snapped irritably. He noticed the pestered expressions Dudley and Eve both wore and took a deep breath. "Besides, I can not sleep anyways..." Percy yawned, "Not with the knowledge that I have to return to the Ministry tomorrow and suffer through another week of it's chaos."

"That bad?" Dudley found himself asking. He bit his lip, regretting the question after witnessing the glare Percy had given him.

"Stricter rules, enhanced security, the awful Pureblood propaganda, not to mention the continuous Muggleborn hunts," Eve visibly shuddered, setting her fork onto the table with a trembling hand.

"Horrific."

"Not to mention that several Ministry employees have recently begun disappearing. The decent, honest, ones," Percy sighed before taking a bite of his dinner, he swallowed and continued, "One day they are in their offices and the next their desks are emptied, with no prior indication of retirement or resignation letter."

"Oh no, do you have any idea what might have happened to them?" Eve asked.

"I would like to think that they were able to flee the country, but with the ironclad border control the new Ministry has set up, it seems very unlikely. No, I think something much more sinister is behind it...Just the other day Fabian Prinnette disappeared, he works in the same department as my father," Percy's face paled, "He and my father are friends," Percy Weasley had quickly stopped talking and stared down at his plate, he let out a small sniff. Eve cautiously reached to pat his shoulder, he swatted it away.

"My father could be next!" He barked," I know the Ministry has been keeping tabs on him and my entire family. I came across their files in Umbridge's office."

Dudley had know idea who that was, but he vaguely remembered hearing that name on his wireless radio weeks ago.

"Are they following you as well?" Eve asked with worry.

"Not that I know of," Percy said, "The Ministry knows I have ostracized myself from my family," He crossed his arms in a defensive manner, like he was subconsciously hugging himself.

"Why would you do that?" Dudley wondered what would cause someone to break away from their own family. Eve shot him a look that suggested that he should just keep his big mouth shut.

"Years ago, I thought they were wrong. I foolishly believed the Ministry when it denied You-Know-Who's return, when both Harry Potter and Dumbledore said he had returned. I told my father and my family that they shouldn't listen to the likes of a teenager and an insane old man. I knew that by supporting the minority's views, they were in for trouble, and I couldn't afford to go down with them, not with my new career that I had worked so hard to earn. It wasn't until Scrimgeour's death that I had realized my mistake, but by then it was too late..."

The three of them sat in silence for a moment, as the Weasley relived his bad decisions while the other two tried to reflect upon his pain and remorse.

"I chose my job and the Daily Profit over my own family, and now I can't even make amends because I would be endangering both them and myself by reconnecting with them. I don't want my father to disappear like Prinnette!" Percy pinched the bridge of his nose and took a few deep breaths to calm himself down."I don't even think they could forgive me for betraying them like that..."

"Bullshit." Percy and Dudley both turned to look at Eve, who now donned a serious expression.

"Excuse me?"Percy scoffed with offense.

"I said that your last statement was utter bullshit. I've meet a good chunk of your family when I approached the Order, they were all very kind...especially your father," Eve said dryly, as she fiddled with her paper. She looked up at them with glassy eyes.

"When I finally found the Order, they treated me with quite a bit of hostility. Mad-Eye was convinced that I was a spy for Snape, and most of the others were inclined to agree with them...But, Arthur, he spoke up for me. He convinced the others to hear me out. Maybe he just saw my desperation and pitied me, but he still gave me a chance, and I was a complete stranger. You're his son; at the very least, I know he'll listen to you," Eve continued as she began tearing her napkin to bits. "With all that has been happening, I'm sure nothing is more important than being with family, in spite of the past."

Dudley felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, the death of his father and distance with his mother physically pained him.

"What about your family?" Percy pointed out. He folded his hands and used them to prop up his chin, as though daring her to amuse him.

"What about it?" Eve huffed, crumbling the remnants of her napkin onto her plate.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Percy sneered. Dudley straighten up in his seat; suddenly much more alert to the conversation. There were so many things he wished he knew about Eve's life. Eve glared at him.

"I mean, if my father listened to you and you were able to convince the Order that your intentions were good, it must be a thrilling story."

"Not particularly, it's very mundane to what one would believe, but it was simple enough that it could easily be backed up with a dose of Veritaserum."

Dudley didn't know what Veritaserum was, but she had made it sound like it was a valid source.

"Care to enlighten us then?" Eve continued to glare at Percy, who had gone from showing pain and remorse to inquisitive and a little snarky. He gave her a half smirk. Dudley stared at him in both admiration and Eve bit her lip, knowing the ginger had backed her into a corner.

"...Fine, but I think I'd like a drink first." She said. Percy snorted, but waved his wand in a series of flicking motions.

"I suppose I could use a drink myself." Out of thin air, three cups appeared on the table in front of them. From one of the furthest cupboards, a bottle of Firewhiskey floated its way over into Percy's outstretched hands. He poured Eve a drink and shoved it towards her.

"Here," he muttered, staring at her intently.

"Give me a damn minute," Eve growled. She grabbed the glass and chugged down a large portion of it. Percy followed her example, making a bigger dent in his drink, the two never broke eye contact. Dudley looked at his empty cup. Reluctantly, he poured himself a little Firewhiskey.

"Alright, care to explain yourself now?"

"Okay, okay. Ask me anything you want, just pour me another drink."

"Well, I don't disagree with you there," Percy snorted as he filled each of their cups with another round of Firewhiskey. "But, I have to admit that I still don't completely trust you,"

"Join the club," Eve muttered between two large gulps of alcohol. "Despite the evidence, it seems that nearly everyone in the Order has their _reservations_ about me."

"I trust you," Dudley blurted out. Eve raised a brow, but her lips twitched into a ghost of a smile. Dudley felt his blood run to his cheeks and he took another swig of his drink.

"What I don't understand is the reason why you are partaking in this war, when the Americas have refused to get involved," Percy sniffed, adjusting his glasses.

"Isn't it obvious? To clear my name. Severus Snape is the most hated man in the Wizarding world, right under You-Know-Who. With his face plastered all over the papers, I knew it wouldn't take others long to make a connection between us, especially my peers..." Eve sighed, "Hours after Dumbledore's murder, I disguised myself and internationally Flooed to London, just before they put up tighter regulations between us and Great Britain."

"How do we know you're not in cohorts with Snape? You could be a spy for the Death Eaters! You obviously had to be in contact with him to know he was your father," Percy growled, attempting to maintain a lower voice level.

"Wow, those questions bring up memories...the Order of the Phoenix asked me the same exact thing," Eve chuckled dryly. "And of course not. Do you honestly think I would be sitting here if it turned out I had been? I've never even met the guy."

"Then how...?"

"Her Potions textbooks," Dudley answered, remembering the scowling man in the index pages of a second year book.

"Yes, my friend Audrey found his picture in the back of our textbooks while working on a research paper for school. It certainly shocked us...That, and the fact that my mother distinctly recalls a man named Severus during her tour of London," Eve added with scowl.

"Mmmm," Percy managed to say as he tried not to choke on his Firewhiskey, and he snorted stupidly through his coughs. t was becoming obvious that the alcohol was starting to catch up to him. Eve glared and smacked him on the side of the head.

"Hey, you asked."

"Sorry," the Weasley said once he caught a glimpse of Eve's expression "But seriously, I am curious as to how they met. Your mother is a witch, right?"

"Actually, no, she is not."

Percy raised an eyebrow in surprise. Dudley, however, just shrugged. Eve had mentioned she was raised in the Muggle world before.

"Well, I'm sure she didn't tell me everything that happened the night that they met. Though, I'm not sure she completely remembers herself," Eve took another sip of her drink. "Mom told me she was part of a school program that was sent to London. Near the end of their stay, she and a couple of friends went pub crawling,"

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea right now."

"Tell me about it," Eve sighed, "Anyways, at some point she was separated from her friends. Unfamiliar with London, and a little more than tipsy, she aimlessly wandered the streets. She said at some point she saw a group of people in funny clothing. My mother followed behind them for a while as they talked about grabbing a drink. Thinking that they were some eccentric partiers, she quickly ran into a small pub with them. She walked through a door she swore hadn't been there before. She blamed it on the alcohol."

"Sounds like the Leaky Cauldron, it's the only decent place to grab a drink in the city," Percy said, "That would explain why she couldn't see the door either."

"Makes sense, she talked about seeing a lot of strange things happening, like floating chairs and mugs that refilled themselves, but she thought she had stumbled in on a group of magicians," Eve elaborated, "That's when she met...him,"

"Ahh,okay. I see how this is starting to come together. Still, I can't imagine Snape getting friendly with a Muggle."

"I don't think he knew she wasn't a witch, from what my mother remembers, he had already consumed several drinks himself. Said he was sniveling into his glass about a woman who had just married an idiot,"

"Did he mention her name?" Dudley asked, suddenly curious.

"How the hell should I know?! I wasn't there," she responded bitterly. She and Percy stared each other down, and drained the rest of their Firewhiskey. Percy reached for the bottle, but Eve quickly seized it to pour herself another glass.

"So, you never attempted to contact him?" Dudley asked Eve, trying to move the conversation along, hoping that their unspoken competition wouldn't turn violent.

"I did think about it..." Eve said after a moment of contemplation, "But, I wasn't sure what I was going to say to a man that lived half way around the world that had gone thirteen years without knowledge of my existence."

Dudley felt she had a valid point; how would one go about in a situation like that? He wasn't sure how he would've reacted to something like that. He knows his father...

Dudley nearly spat out his drink in self loathing at the thought of almost forgotten his situation.

Correction:he _knew_ his father.

"I didn't want to bother somebody I didn't even know," Eve continued,"...I never even told my mother that I discovered who he was...She never liked talking about that situation much. And, it's not like we were lost without a man in our lives. I never really felt I needed a dad."

"Then what did you tell her when you escaped to England?"

"I left her a note telling her everything and begged her to move elsewhere to avoid any fall-out. I didn't have time to wait for her to return from work. I'm….I'm not particularly proud of that moment." Eve bowed her head, her face was unusually rosy beneath her curtains of hair. She muttered something unintelligible and shook her head.

"...You know what I still don't understand?" Dudley said, trying to bring her out of her moment of self loathing.

"What?" The other two asked.

.

"What exactly happened with Snape and my aunt. My mother hates him for a totally different reason than the rest of us."

The three of them simultaneously turned to look down the hall towards the study door. Dudley wondered how he could manage to weasel the information out of his mother, but now was definitely not the time. He was sure neither of them had the energy to talk about such things at the moment. Suddenly, Percy broke the silence.

"So, you never, ever, contacted him in any way... Even though he's your biological father?" Percy reiterated, after finishing himself another glass. His eyes seemed to be a bit more unfocused and his mind obviously wasn't up to par.

"Yes, You drunk moron" Eve snapped at the swaying redhead.

"Alright, alright...I believe you. Yeesh," Percy said, finishing up the last of the bottle.

"Do you really think that was such a good idea?" Eve badgered the Weasley.

"Yeah, don't you have to be to work by seven tomorrow?" Dudley added, looking into his own(still full) glass.

"Shiiiiit," Percy moaned, scratching the back of his head.

"Don't worry, I can make some Hangover Cure for you to take tomorrow," Eve grumbled. She swayed as she stood up, the alcohol having rushed to her head. She had to grip the table to steady herself.

"I'll make it," Dudley offered, recalling seeing it in a third year book, like many potions, it didn't require the use of magic. "I've slept enough the past few days to last me a week, you two should get some rest."

Percy stared at him, dumbfounded. Eve punched him in the arm. Percy let out a yelp and gripped his arm in pain.

"Just 'cuz he's he lacks magic doesn't mean he lacks brains," Eve scoffed and turned to Dudley, giving him a wink.

It was Dudley's turn to look a little dumbfounded.

"I guess I could show you where my potions belongings are," Percy said, looking a bit sheepish.

"Ug, alright. I'm going to bed," Eve yawned, waving them goodnight.

Dudley spent the next few hours preparing the Hangover Cure, in case either of them needed it the next morning.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: The Unforgivables and Forgivables

"Hey mum, I brought you some soup."

Petunia Dursley's gaze remained fixated on the tiny window in front of her, she made any indication that she had heard anything.

Dudley let out half-hearted sigh and set the bowl of chicken soup on the study desk. He stared at his mother in worry; she was looking thinner and paler with each passing day. It drove him crazy to see his prim and proper mother reduced to a shell of a woman. Her features had paled and shrank with a lack of nutrients, she was beginning to resemble a skeleton. Her lack of care for herself was beginning to frighten Dudley. Even though they hadn't been on the best of terms for a while, it tore him up to see her is such a state. He wanted to shake and yell at her in attempt to snap her out of her endless daze.

It had been over a month since their small group had unexpectedly arrived in Percy Weasley's already cramped apartment. Petunia remained solely in the study, only leaving to visit the bathroom. So far, she was refusing to acknowledge anyone else's existence. Not even talking her own son.

"Mum, you have to eat something," Dudley spoke quietly, fearing that she would somehow crumble to dust if he spoke too loud. His mother shifted on her little cot, but neither responded or turned to face him.

"You can't just waste away like this, I swear I'll force feed you if I have to!" He held the spoon threateningly under her chin. She didn't budge. Dudley felt his anger grow, and his caution out the window.

"You can't stay like this forever! Sitting here isn't going to change anything!"

His mother blinked rapidly at his outburst. With motions akin to a robot's, she tore the bowl and spoon away from his hands. She took a spoonful of the soup and began eating it, and finished her meal without speaking a word.

At least that was something.

* * *

Dudley laid, defeated, in the the patched-up armchair in the living room. He wondered if his mother was ever going to recover. _Would she be withdrawn from the world the rest of her life?_ At least he had gotten her to eat, maybe there was still hope.

The smell of the soup that Percy had prepared was wafting out of the kitchen, reminding him that he hadn't eaten yet. Dudley was starving. However, he lacked ambition to get up. He wished he could retrieve a bowl without having to stand.

"What was that spell you use to summon things to you?" Dudley curiously asked Eve, who was reading the latest issue of _The Quibbler_ that Percy had brought home.

"Accio," Eve answered, flipping a page. "Why do you ask?"

"I just want to summon my dinner to me without getting up," he said lazily.

"Oh, and how can you use a spell without magic?"

"The power of believing?" Dudley shrugged.

"I'm pretty sure it doesn't work that way."

"Meh, it's close enough."

"Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades," Eve quipped, flipping the magazine upside down to look at something.

Dudley let out a bark of laughter. It was moments like these that reminded him that there was still humor in the world. Eve studied him for a moment as he continued to sink further into the armchair.

"Catch," she smirked and waved her wand. With surprising speed, a bowl of soup zipped into the living room and right at him. Dudley caught it just before it hit him in the chest. Somehow, only a little of the soup sloshed onto his fingers, the bowl remained nearly full.

"I usually eat with a spoon..."

This was answered with a spoon suddenly pelting him in the shoulder.

"Har, har," Dudley said dryly. He tasted a bite of the soup.

"Wow, Percy knows how to make a great soup," he exclaimed, taking another sip.

"It's my mother's recipe," Percy responded from the doorway. They both looked at him with unease.

"Well, it's very delicious," Dudley said with a forced smile, not wanting to upset the ginger.

"Thank you," Percy nodded. He took a seat next to Eve on the couch.

"Hey, this is my bed," Eve growled. Dudley also glared at Percy; with the small living arrangements, it was hard to claim any space as your own. He didn't blame her for her hostility.

"It's my home," Percy scoffed.

The wizard and witch stared each other down, though they had gotten over the majority of their dislike for one another, they still had a habit of butting heads. Dudley wanted to come to Eve's defense by punching Percy in the face. _What is it with my desire to clock every Weasley I've meet with a good right hook?_

Eve let out an airy huff. Dudley gaped, shocked that she hadn't stood her ground. Eve yawned and stretched dramatically. She laid her feet in Percy's lap, who looked down at them in mild disgust. Dudley snorted, just when he thought he knew her, she would do something unexpected. That woman was full of surprises.

"You don't mind, do you? We are sharing the couch after all," Eve smirked, returning her attention to _The Quibbler_.

"Not at all," Percy said stiffly, trying to play her game. He yawned and leaned back, pretending to be at ease. He reached for a book that sat on the nearby end table and quietly began reading, creating a barrier between himself and the girl's feet.

Dudley focused in on his bowl of soup, of course he had to be stuck with two bookworms. He had never met two people that were so absorbed with books. Their arrangement on the couch was peculiar, but looked strangely cozy.

A sudden, burning sensation formed in the pit of his stomach, he much preferred it when they were constantly fighting. He didn't like seeing them so close to each other. Dudley shook himself out of that thought. Eve was welcome to sit next to anyone she chooses, why should he care if she desired sharing the couch with Percy?

Dudley got up to leave to remove himself away from the situation, when a voice spoke from the hall, making all three of them jump.

"You all look like a productive bunch," Dedalus said with a slight chuckle. Dudley couldn't help but crack a smile, it was good to see the old wizard up and about again.

"But, reading is productive...Right Percy?" Eve added with a nudge.

"Hmmm," Percy mumbled, barely paying them any attention.

"Reading can be useful, but don't you think it would be a better idea to practice spells?

There are some you certainly need to work on, Ms. Peters," Dedalus spoke with utter seriousness. Eve gave him a dirty look.

Dudley figured that months ago, Dedalus would have given in and allowed her to go about her business, but now he was much more forceful. He wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Ms. Peters, you haven't learned to produce a Patronus. I suggest you get up and practice." Dedalus pointed out. Percy snorted and adjusted his glasses, but never looked up from his book.

Dudley watched as Eve practiced casting the spell, and became just as downtrodden as her as each attempt ended in broken, silvery clouds.

"I think you need to pick a better memory," Percy advised, straightening himself up in his seat with an air of superiority. He set his book down.

"My memory is perfectly fine, my Patronus just doesn't know what form to take yet!" Eve spat, giving the Weasley a murderous look.

"Impossible, every proper Patronus has a form, you must just be doing it incorrectly."

"Fuck off."

"Ms. Peters, there is no need for such language," Dedalus frowned.

"Sorry..." Eve muttered sheepishly.

"There's an entire chapter on the subject in one of my books, maybe it could help you," Percy smirked, pointing to the far corner of one of his bookshelves.

"Thanks," Eve said bitterly, "I'm sure you're such an expert on the subject, and can produce a corporeal Patronus,"

"As a matter of fact, I can," Percy huffed. With the flick of his wand, a large, silver winged insect fluttered about the room. Dudley stared in awe.

" A moth, how manly," Eve teased, watching it fly above her.

"Better than a cloud of nothing," Percy said bluntly. Eve sighed and scratched the back of her neck.

"Mr. Diggle, I'm going to take a five minute break. Maybe I'll look over Percy's stupid book," she groaned with defeat.

* * *

"Well, that was pretty pointless..." Eve exclaimed a few minutes later. "Nothing new to me in there."

Dudley eyed the book as Eve began practicing again. The battered edition of _Defending Against the Dark Arts_ drew him in.

"Can I read that?" Dudley whispered to Percy, who now had _The Quibbler_ in his possession and was leafing through its pages. The redhead nodded as his eyes scrolled down the pages.

Dudley looked through the index, becoming interested in chapter titles like; _Out-jinxing Jinxes_ , _Reversing Hexes_ , and _Avoiding The Unforgivable Curses_. Dudley raised an eyebrow, what made a curse unforgivable?

"Hey, what's an Unforgivable Curse?" Dudley asked Percy.

"Oh, you don't know?" He responded airily. Dudley clenched his fists, he really despised that guy's superior attitude.

"Muggle, remember?" Dudley said mockingly, trying to imitate the Weasley's tone.

"Right, right...You see, the Ministry of Magic banned three curses that were deemed too dangerous to legally use back in-" His speech was cut off buy a flicker of yellow light striking the upholstery mere centimeters from his head.

"Sorry!" Eve gasped, staring wide-eyed at the new burn mark on the couch, "I don't know what happened that time!"

"Bloody hell, watch it next time," Percy huffed in a miraculously even tone. Dudley figured he was used to rogue spells flying all over the place when having Fred and George as brothers.

"We're you two talking about the Unforgivables?" Eve asked as she waved her wand, causing the mark to disappear.

"Yes, I was just explaining the banishment of those spells from the Ministry..."

"Who the hell cares about that part, it's irrelevant," Eve scoffed and turned to look at Dudley, "There are three curses you aren't allowed to use. The first is the Imperious, which allows you to control another person, forcing them to do anything you command," She tore the book out of his hands and flipped to a page near the back. She pointed to the illustration of a man being puppeted by a witch.

"Is there any way to block it?" Dudley cringed, wondering what it would be like to be controlled by another person's words.

"You have to be stronger-willed than the castor, the stronger the wizard the harder it is to break their control over you," Dudley inwardly flinched, if that was the case, he was completely screwed.

"The second is the Cruciatus, a curse that inflicts the victim with excruciating pain," She flipped the page over to the next picture, which depicted one wizard torturing another with a ball of red light. The man screamed in agony and flailed wildly on the ground. Dudley's eyes widened. He recognized that spell.

"The last, and most deadly, is the Killing Curse. An instant death for anyone it hits," Eve flipped to the last page of the chapter. A green light covered the page, the female victim lay dead on the ground, appearing unharmed, aside from the fact that she was no longer living. A horrific chill ran down his spine, he felt sick to his stomach.

"Dad was hit by that curse," Dudley choked out, finding it impossible to swallow.

"...Yes..." Eve confirmed, she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "I'm so sorry,"

"Only one person has ever survived that curse," Dedalus whispered from behind Eve, "And that person would be your cousin."

"The Boy Who Lived," Percy said with a nod.

"How?" Dudley asked, wondering how someone a frail looking as Harry be able to survive such a spell while his robust father could not.

"Nobody knows..."

The room was silent for several long seconds as the tension filled the space.

"Ms. Peters, let's get back to our lesson, shall we?" Dedalus said finally.

* * *

Dudley watched Eve silently as she and Dedalus practiced for another hour. Percy had gone to bed, needing to wake up early for work the next morning. Dudley contemplated a thought that had been bugging him since he learned about the Unforgivable Curses. He stared intently at the two of them as he went over things in his head.

"Alright, that's enough for tonight, we'll continue later," Dedalus sighed after Eve's latest failed attempt. Eve just nodded and flopped back onto the couch in exhaustion.

"Goodnight, you two," Dedalus said with a stifled yawn.

"Goodnight," they both answered in unison.

Dudley waited until he heard Dedalus close the bedroom door before turning to speak to Eve.

"You used that curse." Eve went pale, but raised an eyebrow in attempted confusion.

"Don't play stupid, you used that Cruciatus on that Death Eater after he..." Dudley trailed off, not wanting to repeat the words "dad" and "killed" in the same sentence again.

"It was the first thing that popped in my mind! I was so angry and scared, watching him take a human life sickened me to my core," Eve said defensively, hugging her knees.

"...He got what he deserved." Eve looked up at him with surprise.

"He killed my father, what you did may not have been right, but it's the least that bastard deserved."

"I wish I had been more competent and had been able to keep your father safe, I'm sorry I couldn't," Eve coughed. By the look on her face, Dudley could tell she had been holding those words in since Christmas.

"It wasn't your fault, if you hadn't fallen, it would have hit you. Then none of us would have made it," Dudley said. He had come to terms with this fact weeks ago. It didn't take the pain of the situation away, but knowing that he was still alive, and because of it it made easier to recover.

Eve's features softened, she sniffed and rubbed her nose into her shirt sleeve. She gave him a weak smile.

"You won't tell anyone, will you?" Eve asked, cocking her head slightly.

"Never."

Dudley stood up to leave, he was ready for bed.

"Goodnight Dudley."

"Goodnight Eve."

"...Dudley?" Eve said, just as he had reached the doorway.

"Yeah?" He turned around, slightly startled to see Eve standing straight behind him.

Eve embraced him tightly. Dudley stood there stiffly for a few seconds before clumsily wrapping his arms around her. Until this moment, he had never really realized the pain that the incident at Marigold Cabin had caused for her. They had all become victims of the horrendous magical war.

And it wasn't over yet.

* * *

A/N: Hopefully this chapter didn't disappoint! Please review!


	18. Chapter 18

Certain issues are coming to a head...

* * *

Chapter 18: Pains and Gains

Dudley slammed the door to his mother's room. He gripped the door handle tightly as he did. After two months, he had hoped that his mother's condition would have improved: that she would laugh, cry, yell or at least speak. Yet, she remained silent and emotionless. Her lack of progress had begun to get underneath his skin. Every day, he would try to initiate conversation, but he would only be met with blank stares and pursed lips. The woman no longer felt like his mother. With each passing day, Dudley would get the sinking feeling that he had lost both his parents that Christmas Eve.

Dudley flinched after violently slamming the door closed; every day he would shut the door a little harder. He gritted his teeth and walked towards the small living room, which was surprisingly buzzing with noise.

Dedalus, Percy and Eve were crowded around the end table surrounding Percy's old radio (which had previously been gathering dust on the bookshelf for ages.)They sat on their knees, listening intently to the soft voices coming through the static-riddled station. Dudley instantly recognized the voices.

"… _We continue to hear truly inspirational stories of wizards and witches risking their own safety to protect Muggle friends and neighbours, often without the Muggles' knowledge. I'd like to appeal to all our listeners to emulate their example, perhaps by casting a protective charm over any Muggle dwellings in your street. Many lives could be saved if such simple measures are taken,_ " Kingsley's baritone voice echoed through the speakers. Dudley sat down between Percy and Dedalus, immersing himself in the static and soft voices.

Dudley listened to the debate on whether or not wizards and witches came first during these hard times. His lips twitched into a slight smile to Kingsley's viewpoint on the subject, " _We're all human, aren't we? Every human life is worth the same, and worth saving_ ," It was good to know that despite everything that was happening, some people still understood the importance of common humanity.

His spark of happiness was quickly diminished as the mounting list of the dead was read off for the evening. Even Fred Weasley's humor wasn't enough to lighten the situation. Dudley bowed his head as the names of wizards and witches he didn't know were listed as casualties within the past week, and was gripped with fear at the mention of several nameless muggles who had also lost their lives. He couldn't imagine the fear they must of faced, dying at the hands of people they didn't even know existed until the last seconds of their lives. He wondered how many non-magical lives would be lost before his world began to uncover the truth. He knew that if and when they did, it would be too late.

The four of them sat there silently until Lee finished up the broadcast, " _Listeners, that brings us to the end of another Potterwatch. We don't know when it will be possible to broadcast again, but you can be sure we shall be back. Keep twiddling those dials: the next password will be 'Mad-Eye'. Keep each other safe. Keep faith. Good night,_ " The station turned to complete static, filling the room with a sense of emptiness.

"I still don't like the idea of my brother's risking their lives for that radio show, do you know what could happen to them if they were caught?!" Percy huffed, as he dusted himself off.

"I'm sure they are perfectly aware of the risks," Eve said in their defense, "Without their help, people wouldn't be receiving the information that they need to know. Everyone against You-Know-Who should know the truth, to be prepared for the worst!"

"But, this is MY family we're talking about. You don't know what it's like; having no way to contact them, while wondering if any of them are still even alive!" Eve looked like she was caught in between wanting to yell or beat the crap out of him, but she merely clenched her jaw in anger.

"Percy, I'd like a word with you in the kitchen. Now." Dedalus said, pushing him into the hall. Dudley almost snickered, it seemed the old wizard was in a similar mindset.

"He has been a grouch ever since he returned from work," Eve sighed, "He saw his father at the Ministry. He wanted so badly to talk with him, but he had to refrain...He misses his family,"

"That still doesn't give him the right to say things like that, he knows very well that he isn't the only one suffering at the moment," Dudley said, clenching his fists.

"Don't you start too! Dedalus is already speaking with him," Eve whispered, gently placing her hands over one of his fists. "As much as I want to strangle him sometimes, we have to give him some leeway. Percy has done so much for us and he has to deal with the Ministry first hand. If we start fighting against each other, we won't survive to see the end of this war,"

Dudley forced himself to relax and eased his grip. She was right, after all.

"I know you're having a difficult time too; how is your mother doing?" Eve asked, returning her attention to the old radio. She picked it up and placed it back onto the bookshelf, attempting to hide the scornful look on her face.

"She hasn't said anything since... she's like a robot. I used to think maybe she would snap out of it eventually, but nothing has changed. She just isn't my mother anymore." Dudley said, falling into the large armchair.

Eve tapped her fingers thoughtfully on the shelf's wooden frame. Her face scrunched in contemplation. Dudley could practically hear the gears in her head turning. He stared at her in a mix of awe and concern. He had learned that when Eve was brainstorming she was preparing to do something big. Like that time she attempted to make a giant pancake for breakfast back at the cabin.

Eve gave a curt nod to herself, as though finalizing an agreement in a silent conversation. She walked over to him and handed him her wand.

"Here, I shouldn't have this on me right now," Eve said.

Dudley stared down at the wand in his hand. It was made out of a dark colored wood. He had never looked at a wand up close before, he had been too afraid. He ran his fingers across the diamond-like pattern.

"Wait! Where are you going?!" Dudley asked as Eve turned the corner. He jumped up to follow her, clutching her wand in his hands. When he got to the hallway, Eve was already at the closed study door.

"Eve..." Dudley's voice cracked slightly as he watched her grab the door handle. "Eve, please don't…"

"I'm going in unarmed, Dudley. I'm not going to hurt your mother."

Dudley bit his lip. He wasn't worried for his mother.

Eve opened the door to the study, closing it quickly behind her as though to say she did not want Dudley to follow her.

Dudley could here Eve's voice through the door, her words seemed sharp and cold, but he was unable to make out what she was saying. He leaned in closer to see if he could make out anything.

Dudley jumped back as a vocal bomb went off. The sound of his mother's angry screeches could be heard throughout the entire apartment, followed by the sound of breaking glass. Dudley quickly opened the door. The two women inside were too busy arguing to pay much attention to him.

"GET AWAY FROM ME YOU FREAK! HOW DARE YOU WALK IN HERE AND TELL ME HOW TO LIVE MY LIFE?!" Petunia screamed at his friend on the other side of the room.

"Life?! What life, you've been in this room doing nothing for three months," Eve deadpanned, stepping over the bits of a broken vase.

"YOU TOOK MY LIFE AWAY FROM ME! ALL YOU MONSTERS KEEP TAKING AWAY THE PEOPLE I LOVE!"

"I tried my hardest to save your husband's life, and every day I regret not being able to protect him. You are not the only person who has lost something because of this war! We lost Ms. Jones…dozens of families are losing their loved one's every day! And you DARE to think you are the only one who had lost someone they cared about," Eve said scathingly, her voice rising slightly with anger. Dudley heard the quick footsteps of Percy and Dedalus running down the hall.

"What the hell is going on?! Eve what are you-"

"Stay out of this Weasley, I'm just trying to convince this woman to pull her head out of her ass," Eve said holding up a hand to silence him. His mother looked like she was close to literally exploding.

"YOU LET VERNON DIE, AND NOW YOU'RE TAKING MY SON AWAY! JUST LIKE YOUR SLIMY FATHER TOOK MY SISTER!"

"Yes, you mentioned that once, just before you threw hot tea in my face," Eve hissed. "And I think we both agree that Severus Snape is a horrible man that has done evil things, but I have not taken your son away from you, he's right there!" Eve said, thrusting her arm out to point at him.

Petunia took several deep breaths, looking exhausted from using her voice after neglecting it for so long. Her voice was hoarse as she talked in a quitter, but no less hateful tone.

"You are pulling my perfectly normal son into your freakish world, teaching him about freak sports and how to brew poisons, exactly like your father told my sister of a magic school for freaks like them."

"Snape told your sister about Hogwarts?" Eve asked, her expression switching from angry to confused. "They knew each other as children?"

"Yes, your father was a disgusting little urchin from Spinner's End, where the drunks and thieves lived. He told her…Lily...that she was a witch and that he was a wizard. He told her all about their freaky powers," His mother looked as though she was letting out something she had been holding in for a very long time. "When she got her letter, it proved that he was telling the horrible truth. That freak and my sister were best friends after that. Shopping for wands and heaven knows what else. They left for that weirdo school, while I stayed home, trying to show my parents how I was just as "special" as Lily. What what did she gain from magic? An early grave...And now you are trying to pull my son into that same awful world, which will destroy him too!"

They all stood in silence for a moment to absorb what she had said. His mind reeled over the fact that his aunt had been childhood friends with the likes of Severus Snape. Eve finally spoke up, her voice cutting through the tension in the room.

"Don't you see that you were pushing her away? Your sister was going to get that letter whether Snape was there or not. You know what I think? You hated what you couldn't have. Your sister had magic and you distanced yourself from it rather than embracing the knowledge you had learned. How many muggles get to know about the magical world?! Dudley is just as "normal" as you," Eve used her fingers like quotation marks when she used that word, "And he is better at potions than most fourth year students! But, you have been pushing him away, barely acknowledging him these past few months because you can't see past your own pain."

His mother went silent again, she bit her lip in frustration, but the anger had seemed to have been deflated out of her.

"You can't decide the cards that are dealt to you, but can decided how to play your hand….Think carefully about which card you're going to put down next," Eve said in a final tone. She hopped over the glass towards the three of them.

.

"Thanks for keeping it safe," Eve said, taking her wand back. She gave it a lazy flick and the vase sprang back together, completely intact.

"Let's go, I think Mrs. Dursley needs some time alone," Eve ushered them all out closing the door behind her. Dudley wanted to stay behind to make sure his mother was all right, but he knew better.

"What WAS that all about?" Percy whispered as the four of them walked to the kitchen.

"She needed someone to pop her bubble; I figured she hated me enough to snap out of it if I provoked her."

"What exactly did you say to her to make her act so…violently?" Dedalus asked.

Eve just turned and gave him a grim smile.

* * *

The next morning, Dudley woke up earlier than usual. He rolled out of bed, and was careful not to wake Dedalus while searching for a clean pair of clothes. After finally finding a washed pair of jeans, (which had somehow made its way under his cot).

As he made his way down the hall he could hear the sound of the tea kettle whistling. He yawned and rubbed his eyes as he rounded to corner to the kitchen.

"Eve, could I have some earl grey?" Dudley asked, wiping the sleep out of his eyes. He took a step back in surprise at the person sitting at the table

"Mum?!" he gasped, staring at the woman in front of him.

Petunia gave him a slight smile. She took a sip of tea from her own cup. Dudley saw another cup set out on the other side of the table. After grabbing a tea bag he sat down across from her, the situation almost felt surreal for him, seeing his mother outside of the study. He reached across the table, placing a hand over one of his mother's smaller, bonier ones. Dudley squeezed it tightly.

He wasn't going to lose her after all.

* * *

A/N: What did you think? Reviews are appreciated!


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: So...Guess who wanted to write an entirely new chapter, but also got a new job at the beginning of June? Sorry for the hiatus, but I took my sweet time with this one, it's also (relatively) long for one of my chapters, so you'll forgive me, right?!

So with that, let's move forward! Please enjoy and review.

* * *

Chapter 19: The Witch's Tale at the Window

Dudley couldn't sleep.

He had had many sleepless nights since Christmas. Several nights of insomnia followed by an entire day's worth of rest induced from pure exhaustion. Fear, worry, and sheer boredom during the day made it nearly impossible for him to nod off. He was scared of the ongoing war recorded through Potterwatch and the things that Percy would tell him after work. When he wasn't fearing for his life, he was bored out of his mind; there was very little for them to do in Percy's cramped apartment. Despite the horrors the wizard had to witness everyday, Dudley couldn't help but be a little jealous. At least Percy was able to go outside. The other residents were doomed to being confined there for fear of being detected by the Death Eater controlled Ministry. Dudley was not the only one who was suffering.

Dedalus usually resided in the bedroom that they shared with Percy. He was nowhere near as cheerful as he had been in the months at Marigold Cabin, but he stilled smiled often, even if they rarely reached his eyes anymore. He was often found reading from the piles of books Percy had crammed onto a small bookcase in the bedroom, or practicing spells to 'keep his mind sharp' as the old man had put it.

Eve read nearly as much as Dedalus, but she was found (more often than not) in the closet space they called a potions lab. She did not tinker or create as many concoctions as she had back at the cabin, due to the lack of space. Instead, she spent hours scribbling notes in an unused journal that Percy had been ready to toss out. Dudley never asked her about what she was writing down, no matter how curious he got. He figured she was entitled to some form of privacy considering that she had to sleep in the living room, a place which everyone walked through at least once a day.

Oddly enough, his mother had been the most active in the days following Eve's intervention. His mother would hastily walk around the apartment, putting things away and tidying things up. It was almost like being at Privet Drive again; his mother liked to keep the living space around her immaculate and Percy's place had become no exception. While Percy had managed to keep the apartment clean despite having three new residents thrusted upon him, his mother had taken cleaning to an entirely new level. He could see the side tables shining with the little light there was in the apartment at 2 o'clock in the morning.

He had failed to fall asleep, and eventually rolled out of bed to grab a glass of water from the kitchen in hopes of at least killing some time. He noticed on his way to the bedroom door that Percy was not in his bed. The wizard had returned to the apartment earlier that evening and was eerily quiet. Even after several inquiries, Percy insisted that he was just tired and retired to the bedroom earlier than usual. That is why Dudley found his empty bed so strange. At some point, while Dudley was just staring at the wall, Percy got out of bed and left the room without alerting him. Dudley slowly opened the bedroom door. He could faintly hear hushed voices further down the hall.

Curious, Dudley crept down the hallway to better hear what was being said. He stopped just before reaching the main hall near the small alcove. The space was very small, far too tiny to serve much purpose. The area only consisted of a large window that overlooked a sliver of the London street below, and a small end table that held a small, orange plant. Dudley resisted peeking around the corner at the risk of being caught. However, he could now clearly hear the voices of Percy and Eve, who stood together in the small space.

"...They're gone. My father never showed up for work, and the Burrow has been destroyed. They can't be dead, they just can't be!"

"I highly doubt they are dead. Your family is the close to Harry Potter, if they were killed the Death Eaters would boast about it. They would want everyone to know that the strongest of Potter supporters have been snuffed out. I'm willing to bet that they went into hiding...You need to calm down."

Dudley could hear Percy's rapid breathing. He sounded on the verge of a panic attack.

"I-I can't!"

"Yes, you can. Otherwise you'll pass out and then I'll have cart your unconscious body over to the couch. Then we'll have to explain why you're sleeping in the living room to everyone tomorrow morning, which could be contrived as awkward. We don't need that."

"You are not making me feel any better," Percy said, though his voice had calmed down some.

There was a rustling sound, followed by several long seconds of silence, with the exception of Percy's breathing, which was slowly winding down.

"Uhhh...Why are you hugging me?" Percy asked, his voice only trembled slightly. Dudley felt a sudden drop in his stomach. He felt sick.

"You looked like you needed one. Sorry, I'm not very good with touchy-feely stuff. Sorry if I crossed the line."

"Neither am I...I guess I needed one though. So thanks."

"Feel any better?" Eve asked.

"Yes and no," Percy sighed. " I'm in knots over my family disappearing. This is what I've been fearing. What if something happens to them and I never get to apologize?"

"I have a feeling that they will be okay," Eve insisted. "They are strong, and they know how to fight. They will be able to protect themselves."

"You seem very confident of my family's capabilities."

"Oh, I am. I did get to fight next to them. Your father saved my life. Twice."

"When did that happen?"

"Oh. Well, it's not exactly a thrilling tale but..."

* * *

 _Eve exited the Leaky Cauldron, the brown wig she wore on her head itched horribly and it took a lot of self control to stop herself from scratching at it incessantly. She had been in England for the better part of a week under the alias Audrey Anderson, the name of her best friend. Eve had been scouting both Diagon Alley and London in search of the Order of the Phoenix. The group was less of a secret than it was a rumor. There had been strong speculations (though no actual proof) that Dumbledore had created the group during the first reign of Voldemort. It seemed that after the war, everyone in the wizarding world knew that the Order of the Phoenix existed, but no one knew of the member or where they might be located._

 _There was, however, speculation that they had been located somewhere near or in London. So, after smuggling her way into England before the British Ministry of Magic shut down its borders, Eve found herself living at the old pub in Diagon Alley. She had been spending weeks researching old newspapers and articles to try and find the Order. She sifted through articles more than fifteen years old, to more recent ones within the past two years. When Voldemort was spotted at the British Ministry last year, she had a feeling that Potter and his friends had not been alone, there must have been some Order influence, especially since Dumbledore had been there. After some more research on papers that covered Harry Potter's recent school years, Eve discovered several mentions of a Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley. She decided to research more about both of them, in hopes of finding family members who could have been part of the first establishment of the Order. His closest friends and their families were probably the most supportive in destroying Voldemort, right?_

 _After digging up information on Harry Potter's seemingly closest friends, Eve had found nothing on any other Grangers other than the potioneer, Hector Dagworth-Granger, which she highly doubted were related. However, she had found loads on the Weasley family. After sifting through the countless members of Ronald Weasley and his kin, Eve discovered that that Ronald Weasley's father, Arthur, was part of the_ _Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Department in the Ministry. Between his son's strong ties to Harry Potter and his job that specifically dealt with protecting enchanted No-Maj items from harming those without magic, Eve determined that he was a strong likely candidate of being an Order member. Though there was no solid proof to her conclusion, she knew it was probably the closest she was going to get._

 _So, after she discovered where she could find Arthur Weasley, she began observing his daily habits of traveling to and from the Ministry. Which, in less eloquent terms, meant she had become a low-grade stalker. It was weird for her to be creeping on someone like that, but watching_ _ **was**_ _the easy part. The hardest part, she realized, would be approaching him. She had to find an opportune moment, she couldn't just walk up to him and reveal her plans. Luckily for her, the opportunity to approach the wizard came sooner than she had anticipated, though nowhere near the manner she had hoped._

 _On her sixth day of observation of Mr. Weasley, Eve found herself following him on a different path than he normally took. Instead of leaving the Ministry and apparating in a deserted alleyway, he began to walk in a different direction than the ally. As she followed him, she realized that they were heading towards the Leaky Cauldron. Eve waited a few seconds after he entered the magical building before following him in. She didn't want to draw any attention to herself. It would be obvious that she was tailing him. Even with a hood on, she made sure not to look the bartender, Tom, in the eye: he would have recognized her face, as he claimed that he always made a point to remember the people that lodged in his pub. She even waited a few seconds after the Weasley opened the stone passage._

 _The man had gone nowhere interesting in Diagon Alley. Eve watched him pick up some stationary at_ _Flourish & Blotts, and owl food at Eeylops Owl Emporium as she watched him from the ice cream shop across the street. Very boring. Eve couldn't help but sigh: when was she going to gather the courage to approach this man? Even as the man walked through wizarding shops, Eve felt like it wasn't exactly the right time. With a defeated huff, she turned on her heel. Maybe tomorrow would be better._

 _There was a sudden and deafening BOOM! Eve could barely register what was happening as glass flew around her. Inky-black figures zoomed in and out of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. Eve struggled to find her wand, which seemed to have fallen out of her pocket in the explosion. As she looked frantically for her wand, one of the dark figures swished passed her, and landed a few feet ahead, all while cackling. Yes, cackling. The figure was a person. Eve couldn't see their face, but by their demented laughter, she guessed it was female. As Eve registered what was happening, she realized how much danger she was truly in. These were Death Eaters. She may have been an American, but even wizards and witches across the pond knew who these people were. Their reputation preceded them. More panicked than before, Eve desperately looked for her wand, or for something sharp or heavy. Anything she could use to defend herself._

 _The Death Eater pointed her wand at Eve. Eve recoiled, which only made the crazy woman laugh harder._

" _Avada-" The dark woman shouted. Eve closed her eyes, waiting. This was where she died: alone, away from home, and with little accomplishment in her life. But the spell never came. When Eve dared to open her eyes, she saw that the woman had been caught off guard by a disarming spell, and was now in the midst of battling the offender. Arthur Weasley had come out of the nearby shop and was currently throwing a variation of spells at the woman. Eve took this opportunity to continue searching for her wand. Unfortunately, the rubble around her had most-likely buried it deep underneath the remnants of the ice cream shop._

 _Shots were being fired from all directions, she wasn't sure what to do. Her desperation keep her rooted to the area, but her lack of defense coaxed her to flee. Eve compromised by hiding. Using the destruction around her as a physical shield, Eve tried to stay protected from the spells and view of the dulers around her. Her hiding was advantageous though; she could see the nearly everything occurring through the gaps in broken wood that concealed her._

 _She could see a few Death Eaters and Arthur Weasley duling, and slowly the man was being overpowered. He had managed to take out several of the masked men, but there was one that seemly refused to go down. The crazed-laughter woman was currently on the defense as the red-headed man had managed to take the upper hand. However, from her hiding place, Eve noticed something that the experienced Order member did not. One of the previously fallen Death Eaters had managed to get up, his wand now pointed an unnoticing Arthur._

 _In that moment, Eve made an irrational decision. Without thinking, she found herself darting over to the man. She grabbed for the wand he was wielding from behind. The man seemed so startled by her sudden appearance and behavior that he didn't stop her from grabbing at his own wand. Again, without thinking and with the both of them now having a grip on the wand, Eve sent a Rictusempra spell at the sneaking Death Eater with a sweeping motion, sending the man flying. The female Death Eater seemed caught off guard by Eve's sudden interference, because she hesitated long enough for the pair of them to send another Rictusempra. The woman must have regained her composure, because she was able to block the spell at last moment._

 _Eve was sure that the carnage would have continued if a small group of people hadn't apparated nearby. She did not recognize any of their faces, but the fact that they began attacking the crazy Death Eater at least meant that they weren't going to attack either her or Mr. Weasley. Eve couldn't help but release her grip on the shared wand, giving the wand owner the opportunity to take back control, now that she felt safer._

 _She couldn't have been more wrong._

 _The group must have seen her proximity and grip on Arthur Weasley's wand as a form of attack, and they did not hesitate to to hurdle a spell her way. Without being able to block it, Eve was hit full-force with a deep-blue light. Then there was nothing._

 _When Eve came to, she realized she was laying down. Not in her bed, but someone's carpeted floor. She could feel the soft fabric between her fingers. She couldn't remember where she was, or why she She could also hear several voices speaking. Some seemed closer and were nearly whispers, a few others were louder, but further off. She tried opening her eyes, but her head was riddled with pain when she did. Snapping them back shut, Eve attempted to speak. To say something to the voices surrounding her._

" _Wuddadefuk?" she groaned, as she was quickly becoming more conscious. She sat up in an attempt to shake the foggy feeling from her brain. The area around her became silent. Finally, she was able to open her eyes without immediately closing them again. She nearly fell over again as she took in her surroundings._

 _There was nothing more terrifying than having six armed individuals surrounding you, threatening to attack you at a moment's notice when being unarmed and grossly outnumbered. Eve cowered, instinctively shielding herself with her arms. A man with an insanely weird, electric- blue eye stared at her menacingly. She looked around at the people, her eyes fell onto Arthur Weasley, who was on-guard, but his wand was lowered and his expression was more confused than angry, as the rest of them were._

 _The fact that they were obviously were not Death Eaters, nor that they were wearing anything indicating that they were Aurors, and the fact that Mr. Weasley was with them, lead Eve to deduce that they had to be the Order. She may have had been waiting weeks to find and speak to them, but because of her mounting fear, Eve found that her voice had escaped her. One person in the group must have noticed her terror because she lowered her wand slightly._

" _Who are you?" crazy-eye asked, the eye in his head swiveled up and down rapidly, looking her over, while his normal eye stared directly into her eyes. Eve had to suppress a shiver. He pointed his wand straight at her jugular._

" _Mad-Eye, she's unarmed…"The woman said, her hair rapidly changing for red to orange._

" _Yet, I don't see you hurrying to put your wand away, Tonks. One look at her and you_ _ **know**_ _she's bad news. The fact that she's been trailing Arthur for the past two weeks doesn't help her case." Tonks bit her lip, but said nothing in retaliation. Apparently her light stalking had not gone unnoticed._

 _It was then that Eve realized that her wig was no longer on her head, whether it had fallen off or had been taken off, she didn't know. What she did know, was that her dark, lanky hair screamed her parentage, putting her in a more dangerous situation than she first realized. The sudden panic finally engaged her voice._

" _I was only following him so that I could find the Order of the Phoenix because I want to help!"_

 _There were several raised eyebrows, many of them looked confused, possibly because of her accent. Before anyone else could speak up, Eve continued._

" _I volunteer to answer all questions under Veritaserum!" She blurted out. It was the ultimate form of compliance for situations like this. Though it wasn't a foolproof potion (as some people could build an immunity to it), it at least was a credible enough source to at least consider._

 _Before this, Eve had never consumed Veritaserum, though she had brewed it a few times as part of her final Potions exam. She was now situated in a chair. Now that she was sitting up, she got a better look at the place around her. Everything was nondescript, the furniture and walls lacked personality, they were all an off-white color and lacked pictures or paintings. All the windows were covered in thick curtains, hiding the outside world. This obviously had to be some sort of disposable meeting place for the Order; a hiding place that could easily be abandoned if discovered._

 _She, of course, was compliant with taking the truth-serum. Though she asked to observe the colorless mixture before consuming it. She casually sniffed the concoction, making sure it was completely odorless. She swirled the potion around in its container and watched it settle. Though she highly doubted it would be poisoned, as it would have been far easier to just take she out with a wand, she had to at least check. At least her top marks in Potions were paying off. With a satisfied huff, she carefully dropped three drops onto her tongue while all eyes watched her intently._

 _The experience was uncomfortable, to say the least. It was one thing to know the effects of the truth serum, it was another thing entirely to actually experience it. She was grilled with question for the better part of an hour. "Mad-Eye" was relentless in his questioning and his boring stare with both his normal and crazy eye were very, very unnerving. Many of the questions asked were basic, like her name, address, and school. Some were very personal and Eve struggled to answer them. Finally, just as the potion was wearing off, the questions did as well._

 _Eve sat there silently as the Order began whispering amongst each other in the adjoining room. Though they were only a few feet away all she could hear from their direction was a strange buzzing noise. Obviously, they were using some kind of spell, though she had no idea what it was. She stared at the floor in contemplation knowing that her life, or at the very least - her memories- were on the line._

" _What about your mother?" A voice broke through the buzzing, making her jump in her seat. Her eyes met the light brown ones of Arthur Weasley._

" _I've already answered that question," Eve said bitingly, though she immediately regretted potentially harming her chances even more._

" _Yes, I remember," Mr. Weasley said with a disapproving frown. "What I want to know is what you, Eve Peters, would abandon your only family to fight in a war halfway around the world? I can't imagine how she feels about all of this,"_

 _That question struck Eve. Yes, she had been asked hundreds of questions, but this was the first time anyone considered to ask about how her family would be affected by her decisions. Eve wanted to keep her mouth shut or lie through her teeth. Perhaps the effects of the serum still lingering a little in her body, because she found herself answering truthfully._

" _My mother may be a No-Mag, but she still keeps up with the wizarding world's current events. I know by now she has found out what happened. I'm sure by now, she is wishing she had never come across the man named Severus Snape…And..." Eve sniffed. "And, if I was still in the States with her, we would have to go into hiding. She would have to quit her job and her life just so she could be reminded of a murderer every time she had to look at me. I know that being a single mother was not easy for her; I don't want her to regret me more than she probably already does. I will do everything to take down Snape or die trying to clear my name so that my mother and I can live without fear or hiding." Eve finished, refusing to look the man in the eye, for fear that she might start crying. She had been able to suppress the reality of everything by keeping her motivations to herself, but saying it aloud to someone made it more real, more emotional._

 _The man said nothing to her in return, but she could feel him staring at her. Eve gripped her chair tightly as she struggled with keeping her composure._

" _Arthur!" Mad-Eye's gruff voice barked through the silence. Eve jumped slightly and she looked up at the group, which had dispersed from its meeting. She scanned the group, most were stone-faced, but the young woman with the orange hair frowned, looking upset._

" _We have reached a verdict, but we wanted to hear your thoughts. After all, you were her victim in this situation."_

 _Arthur Weasley cleared his throat._

" _I vote that she stays." There was an air of surprise in the room, though the woman's orange hair changed from orange to pink. "No matter how misguided I think her intentions may be, her heart is clearly in the the right place. And, though she showed a gross misconduct in duling," He said, looking down at Eve, "She still saved my life and I am willing to vouch for her credibility."_

 _The crazy-eyed man looked livid, but he didn't raise his voice._

" _If she stays, anything she does... I'll be holding you personally accountable. I know she's just as slimy and as silver tongued as her father, she could betray us at anytime!"_

" _I don't think she will, but if she were to… I will take full responsibility."_

 _The roomed stood there in shock, many of them looked confused. Mad-Eye grumbled something under his breath, looking annoyed but thoughtful._

" _...Do you really want this girl to be a face that will be seen fighting for the Order?"_

" _Heavens no." Arthur Weasley huffed, "That would cause far too much trouble. She would be a walking target, making her a hindrance. No, I have a much better idea of where we can station her…"_

* * *

"...And that's how I ended up being stationed to watch over the Dursleys." Eve sighed as she stared out the window.

"Wow," Percy breathed. "Just wow." Eve just shrugged.

"Your father saved my life day...I was and am a risk on the battlefield. So, unless shit really hits the fan, my duty is to stay underground and protect Harry Potter's only living relatives. It is infuriating to not be on the front lines...but I'm almost thankful I'm not. I took me a while to realize that you father stationed me there in hopes of keeping me safer in this ungodly war. Even so, so much horror has happened already."

"It sure has," Agreed Percy. The two of them were silent now as their stared out the window. Dudley's mind was spinning. Eve had been through a lot before they met. He couldn't help but feel sorry for her; he never realized the severity of her recruitment into the Order, nor had he ever wonder why someone with such skills was left to go into hiding. He even felt bad for Percy, even that git didn't deserve what he was going through.

Though fearing that he would be caught in the silent home, Dudley managed to make it back down the hall and into his bed. He doubted he would get to sleep at all tonight, as his mind had become more filled with worried thoughts than it had before.

* * *

A/N: Okay, so this chapter wasn't completely needed, I felt that there needed to be some understanding of what Eve had to go through in order to become a small part of the Order of the Phoenix. Let me know your thoughts.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Two chapter in a week? It's a miracle!

Naw, this chapter is far shorter, but I really enjoyed writing this one!

As always, enjoy and reviews are always appreciated.

* * *

Chapter 20: All Types of Explosions

"Dudley, sweetheart, what are you doing?!" Petunia Dursley asked, poking her head into the storage closet where Dudley was busily trying to create an eye-color changing potion. He had grown bored of the third year books he found in Percy's bookshelf and was taking notes from the fourth year ones without informing Eve.

He jumped, thinking it could be her, which would get him in a lot of trouble. Dudley knew that the potions were far more dangerous in the upper level classes, and sneaking around with hazardous ingredients could end with less than perfect result.

"Nothing mum," he sighed, relaxing when he saw that it was just her. His mother narrowed her eyes and sniffed unhappily.

"You need to be careful with that stuff, I don't trust it," she said sourly.

"Don't worry mum. I am being careful. Besides, if something goes wrong in potions, it's the potioneer's fault, not the ingredients."

Dudley would have been crazy to think that his mother would completely change her views on the magical world overnight. However,there had been a lot of improvement over the couple weeks. Though his mother still was not the most pleasant to the others, she would now frequently join them at the dinner table or sit in the cramped lounge with them.

"Are we having a party in the closet?" Eve asked, shoving her way past his mother who appeared to purposely trying to make it difficult for her.

Dudley quickly tried to hide the fourth year book behind his back, but even if he had managed to do so successfully he still wouldn't have been able to away with it. Eve seemed to be able to smell a lie.

"Are you crazy?!" she scolded, folding her arms in anger.

"What?!" Dudley exclaimed, though he had little reason to defend himself.

"One wrong move and we could all explode into human confetti... And you have no way to protect yourself if something were to go amiss."

"My son was doing just fine until you showed up and ruined his project!" His mother hissed. Though she still highly disliked magic, Petunia still had a special hatred for Eve that trumped even the most elaborate of magical potions or spells.

In fact, it appeared that his mother would make any excuse to start some sort of fight with Eve, and the girl was usually more than happy to oblige. Their shouting matches would last hours if somebody neglected to intervene. Last week they had gotten into a fight over what to make for dinner. Percy, who had just returned from work, had angrily casted a silencing bubble around them so he wouldn't have to hear it. The two argued for hours all the way into the late evening. So Dudley, Percy, and Dedalus had to make dinner themselves that night.

On the bright side, Dudley had yet to hear his mother use words like 'freak' and 'evil' when referring to magic since that day despite the daily conflicts she would have with Eve. However, their fighting words could be quite colorful. The male residents of the apartment sometimes found this amusing, other times they would have to walk away from the screaming women with flushed faces and raised eyebrows.

Dudley groaned as he prepared for the explosion that was about to begin in front of him, but before his mother could throw the first verbal punch, Eve dived further into the closet and shot a spell at the cauldron behind Dudley that had begun to over-boil. Dudley fell back in his seat, covering his face out of instinct. He had forgotten about his potion and it overheated. How could he have been so stupid?!

With the wave of her wand the dangerous concoction vanished, leaving only its burning scent behind. Finally lifting his arms away from his face, Dudley saw Eve breathing a sigh of relief while his mother cowered just behind the door frame. When Petunia realized it was safe, she rushed to his side, ready to coddle him. He tried to shrug her off.

"It's alright now, crisis averted," Eve said, wiping her brow. She then turned to give Dudley a blood-freezing stare.

"Mrs. Dursley, I would to talk with Dudley, alone."

Dudley bit his lip but managed to persuade his mother to leave his side. Reluctantly, his mother sauntered off into the kitchen, shaking her head in anger. Eve waited to make sure his mother was out of earshot before speaking.

"Do I really have to say anything?" Eve asked, drumming her fingers on the tiny table.

"No," Dudley murmured, almost feeling like a little kid.

"Then I won't need to remind you how dangerous it is to make dangerous potions without the aid of magic, or have to explain that you need to keep an eye on your potion at all times?"

Dudley nodded, knowing that he had been completely in the wrong.

"Good, now that we've got that settled, I could use an extra brain," Eve said, quickly flashing one of her rare, genuine smiles.

"With what?"

"A potion."

"What do you have in mind?"

Eve pulled out the small notebook that she had taken to writing in frequently. "I want to make a potion that can be used as a weapon. Not a poison, something that can be used as offensive attack," Eve said, flipping through her pages of notes. "Something that a person could use if they lost their wand, or if they don't possess one at all. We need to be able to protect ourselves, _especially_ you, since you're at a disadvantage,"

"Why not just throw everything into a cauldron and cause an explosion? That can be pretty effective." Dudley said, eyeing the now empty cauldron that could have easily blown them to bits.

"That would be a danger to everyone, not just the target. Plus, it needs to be portable. We can't carry a cauldron around everywhere."

"What about bicorn powder?" Dudley said, remembering something he had just read in that fourth year book. "That is _really_ explosive!"

"Only if you were trying to take out the entire block. Bicorn powder is really dangerous," Eve pulled a vial from a secure case on the bottom shelf. "The contents of this little vial would be enough to destroy the entire apartment complex."

They stood there in silence for a few minutes, both of them inwardly brainstorming. Dudley jumped at Eve's sudden movement.

"Wormwood!" Eve exclaimed, "Wormwood drastically nulls the effects of bicorn powder. With the right balance, we can make a concentrated mini explosion. We could fill small vials with the concoction, making it easy to carry around."

"Or we could somehow make tiny capsules, like aspirin pills. That way we can fit more in our pockets without needing an extension charm to fit them all," Dudley said, happy that he was able to contribute.

"That is a brilliant idea!" Eve smiled. She pulled out her black bag that she had managed to escape Marigold Cabin with and rummaged through it. She pulled out a white bottle. "I could probably use the capsules on these No-Mag ibuprofen as a prototype. I wondered if these would ever prove to be useful."

Dudley sat down next to Eve, who was already beginning to jot notes down in her notebook. She was quietly muttering to herself, as she always seemed to do when she was working on a project. Dudley cracked open one of the advanced potions books from the top shelf, looking for possible measurements that might come in handy.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Let's get the plot rolling!

* * *

Chapter 21: The Beginning of the End

Two weeks of continuous work had paid off for their bicorn powder project. Dudley and Eve had succeeded in creating small explosive capsules with various impacts. Dudley observed the various sizes of capsules in his hands. The smallest ones could simply knock a person over, the largest could probably bust down a small wall. Dudley felt that he could hold his own with one of them (or a least cause enough of a distraction to escape) if he came face to face with a Death Eater again.

There had been several test runs conducted inside heavy shielding charms, though they didn't completely prevent scorched eyebrows and first degree burns. Some evenings he and Eve would sit down to dinner covered in ash and smelling like campfire smoke, and some of their test runs caused such a ruckus that Percy had begun to call them the "New Fred and George." Neither of them were fans of the nickname.

Dudley held a sense of pride with the completion of their project; he even boasted to his mother over their success. Dudley knew his mother had worried the entire time they were working on the capsules, as she had attempted to talk him out of going into the potion's closet each morning. She visibly relaxed once he told her they had finished their project.

* * *

May first was the first night in over a week that Dudley and Eve helped prepare dinner. Dedalus showed them how to make beef pies. Dudley failed miserably. He may have understood the art of potions, but cooking was something that remained foreign to him.

Even Petunia helped that night by setting the table. She opened the kitchen window, letting in a warm breeze that was refreshing to feel after one of the longest and coldest winters Dudley had ever experienced.

"Where is Percy?" Eve asked, looking down at her watch. "He should be back by now."

"I'm sure Percy is alright," Dedalus reassured her, but his smile seemed to falter. The small wizard quickly checked his own pocket watch, his hands trembling slightly.

Dudley refused to check the time, he did not want to know the answer. It was getting dark outside and even he was getting worried about him. Percy should have definitely returned home by now.

"I'm sure he will be home soon. We can wait a few more minutes before we begin to eat," Dedalus said as they all sat down to dinner. Dudley couldn't help but stare at the empty chair to his left.

The four of them waited long enough for their beef pies to get cold. Dedalus suggested that they should start eating anyways and just save a plate for Percy. Oddly enough, Dudley found that he wasn't very hungry anymore. His mind was racing.

 _What if something terrible happened to Percy? Had the Ministry found a reason to arrest him? Did they know he was harboring members of the Order? Would they come here next?_ Dudley felt his stomach drop; he was about to be sick. He quickly excused himself from the table and rushed to the bathroom.

Dudley turned the water on in the sink and splashed the running water on his face. He massaged the water into the back of his neck to calm himself down. When he opened his eyes, he was slightly startled by the figure in front of him.

Dudley hadn't really bothered to look at his reflection in the mirror his entire stay at Percy's apartment; it was not like he was worried about impressing anyone. He was surprised at how much his appearance had changed over the past few months. His cheeks were slightly sunken and a shadow beard covered his lower jaw. His frame was the thinnest he could ever remember it being, even more than when he started boxing a few years back. Dudley couldn't decide whether his weight loss was due to the limited food they had or of his current lack of interest in it.

"Are you alright?" a soft voice asked behind him. Dudley turned to see Eve watching him with concern. He couldn't help but notice how thin she had begun to look, considering she had been slim to begin with. He wasn't the only one who had physically changed, the dark purple shadows under her eyes made her look particularly unhealthy.

"I'm worried," Dudley answered as he gripped the sides of the sink tightly.

"We all are," Eve said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"What if something happened to Percy? What happens to us then?"

"I don't know," Eve whispered. "We have to hope for the best…But, if not, we'll be ready if they come after us," Dudley took a deep breath and nodded.

After a few minutes, Dudley and Eve rejoined his mother and Dedalus who were meekly poking at the food on their plates. Dudley sat through the rest of dinner, which felt awkward and tense. Dudley managed to take a few bites of his meat pie before feeling too ill to finish.

Hours passed by. Dudley, Eve, and Dedalus sat quietly in the small living room, too concerned over the life of their friend and their own lives to talk much. Even his mother appeared to be on edge, as she nervously excused herself to her room after dinner.

Eve kept waving her wand with a concentrated look on her face as she seemed to be silently going over spells. Dudley thumbed through one of Percy's books, but his mind was too distracted to actually read it. He would occasionally sneak peeks at Dedalus, who simply stared off into space.

A sudden noise from the front hall caused them all to jump. Eve and Dedalus held their wands out, ready to attack. Dudley could see his mother peer down the hall from her room, also fearful of the sound. Dudley held a pouch full of the Bicorn Powder Capsules, he wasn't going to go down without a fight.

"Have you gone completely mad?!" Percy cried, holding his wand in defense as Eve jumped at him, ready to take him out.

"Prove that you're the real Percy Weasley!" Eve demanded, jabbing her wand straight into his jugular.

"The first time I met Dudley, he puked all over my favorite pair of slippers," Percy coughed, cringing at the very thought of the event.

Eve lowered her wand. Her face was a mix of fury and relief. "Where the hell have you been?!" She stammered, looking like she was caught between hugging and punching him.

"The Ministry is in chaos! Hours ago Harry Potter, my brother, and Hermione Granger broke into Gringotts and escaped on a dragon! I barely made it out of that mob alive!"

"A mob?" Dedalus asked.

"It was a madhouse, those loyal to You-Know-Who were beginning to interrogate the rest of us. People were running without direction while trying to make sense of everything that was happening. Harry's break-in at Gringotts caused a mass riot."

"Gringotts? What would they need from there?" Eve asked. Percy only shrugged, appearing to be lost in thought.

"Quick! Try to tune into Potterwatch, maybe they'll be able to report where they are heading!" Percy said suddenly.

It took Dudley a moment to process everything that was being said. He could hardly wrap his mind around the fact that his cousin had flown on a dragon…He didn't even know what Gringotts was. He managed to get out of the way as Percy pushed past to get to the old radio. Percy began to fiddle with the dials. Everyone sat in an anxious silence, even his mother sat on the couch, waiting on baited breath.

Percy tried to find the correct combination to access the secret channel, while explaining every detail he knew to them about the break in. Dudley learned that Gringotts was the wizarding bank, a place supposedly impossible to break into and steal from, but if anyone could make the impossible possible it was his death-defying cousin.

After several failed attempts, a sudden screech of static finally filled the room. Percy turned the volume up. Lee Jordan's voice echoed in Dudley's ears.

 _"Lightning has struck the school! I repeat... Lightning has struck the school! We're going to need backup…passage through Hogshead… struck the school!_ " Lee's voice dissolved back into static.

Eve and Dedalus exchanged a knowing look.

"What does that mean?" Dudley asked, knowing it probably wasn't good.

"It means Harry Potter is at Hogwarts," Eve said. "With the school being controlled by Death Eaters, Harry Potter is going to need all the help he can get."

Eve and Dedalus stood up. "As Order members, it's our job to help in any way we can in times of a major crisis," the wizard explained.

"I'm coming with you," Percy said, adjusting the glasses on his face. "I'll finally be able to do something about this war."

Eve nodded and waved her wand. Her small bag flew into the room and into her hands. She pulled out the small Weasley's Wizarding Weezes hair clip and fastened it into her hair. Her long, dark locks twisted into golden blonde curls. With her disguise in place, she gripped her wand tightly.

"Let's do this."

"Wait! What about me?" Dudley asked. His mother paled, but remained silent.

Eve turned to Dudley, her expression was grim and regretful. "You need to stay here. Take more of these in case anything happens," she handed him another box of the explosive capsules from her bag.

Dudley stood there both confused and angry. He wanted to help end this war as much as the others did...This war affected him too! Just because he was a muggle it didn't mean he was completely useless. He watched as his three friends linked arms, prepared to Apparate.

With a sudden burst of energy, Dudley lunged forward. He heard his mother let out a cry as he seized hold of Eve's robes and followed them into nothingness.

* * *

Dudley's third experience with Apparition was more tolerable than his first two. He managed to stay on his feet as they connected with the rough wooden floor. He opened his eyes to find a dimly lit and dirty pub. It was filled with wooden benches and hardwood tables. Though not grimy, it was very rustic and old. If his mother were here, she would have fainted at the mere sight of it.

"Are you fucking crazy?!" Eve hissed, suddenly pushing him into one of the tables. "Do you know how dangerous it is to just grab onto someone that is Apparating? You could have been splinched and possibly have died from your injuries," She gave him a hard slug in the shoulder. "What on earth made you think it would be a good idea to come along anyways?"

Dudley opened his mouth to speak before an unfamiliar voice sounded off the barren walls.

"This is a pub, not King's Cross Station!"

Dudley looked over his shoulder. He gaped in awe at the oldest man he had ever seen. His long grayish-white beard and dark robes made him look like Gandalf. Even without the wand in his ancient hand, this man _looked_ like a wizard. Dudley had no idea that people could live that long.

As the old man spoke, the small space echoed with several loud popping sounds. Several other people had appeared inside the pub.

"People have been coming in and out of my pub continuously for the past hour," He grumbled loudly. The old wizard glanced at the four of them. "Well, don't just stand there. Arianna will take you to Hogwarts," He pointed at the tunneling portrait that several people were already walking through. Standing at the entrance of the painting was a pretty girl in a white frock. She smiled and nodded at each person that passed her.

"Thank you Aberforth," Dedalus said, "We will be right along once we sort out our little problem." He gave Dudley a sharp look. Dudley felt his face flush.

"I'll take Dudley back, Mr. Diggle," Eve sighed, grabbing onto his arm, "I'll meet up with ya'll later."

"No," Dudley snapped, pulling his arm away, "I want to help, I can hold my own!" he exclaimed, holding up his pouch of Bicorn explosives.

"Dudley, it's just not safe," Dedalus explained, "This isn't a game, our enemies are very skilled duelist. Those explosives won't be able to defend you from their magic.

"We don't want to see you get hurt," Percy added.

"Please, Dudley. Let me take you back," Eve begged. Her fake blonde hair awkwardly curtained parts of her serious expression.

"Well..." Dudley groaned. However, he was unable to finish his sentence due to the shouting coming from the entrance o f the portrait.

A young man around Dudley's age climbed out of the tunnel in the portrait. His face was marred with scars and bruises. Behind him, Dudley could see several smaller figures still standing in the tunnel.

"Hey Abe," the man said with exhaustion, "We are moving all the underage students out of Hogwarts, can they safely stay here for now?

"What did I tell you? A damn train station," Aberforth said loudly to no one in particular. He let out a frustrated sigh. "Alright Mr. Longbottom, let's get them out of there. They're blocking the pathway."

Dozens and dozens of children began to pile into the pub. They all were quite young; the oldest did not seem to be older than fifteen. Many of the older ones wore uniforms in different colors, while some of the younger ones appeared to be in their nightclothes. Some buzzed anxiously, others looked terrified.

"I'm not a babysitter, Longbottom." Aberforth warned as he watched the floods of children fill the room.

"Things are getting bad out there, Abe," Longbottom said, shaking his head, "Death Eaters are charging towards the castle, I don't think the shields will hold out much longer. We need every able body helping. Even you Abe," He finished, nodding to their small group.

"Then who's going to keep an eye on all these kids?" Aberforth asked, crossing his arms.

"I'll do it," Dudley found himself saying. He jumped at the chance of contributing to this war, even if it wasn't quite what he had in mind.

"Dudley…" Eve warned him, her voice sharp with annoyance.

"Eve, let me do this. These kids need somebody to keep an eye on them and keep them calm," He locked eyes with a young, teary-eyed girl that couldn't have been older than twelve.

Eve bit her lip and exchanged a glance with Dedalus. He gave her a curt, strained nod. Dudley knew they didn't have the time to argue.

"Alright, fine… Damn it Dudley, you stay here. I mean it!" Eve growled, poking him threateningly with her finger.

"Err…okay…"Longbottom said. He raised his voice for the students to hear. "Everyone, this is Dudley. He is going to make sure you all stick together and you'll ultimately listen to him. None of you leave Hogshead, alright?"

There was a collective murmur of understanding from the students. The situation they were in seemed to make them rather agreeable, despite their age.

With the heightening sense of urgency, the wizards were already beginning to climb into the portrait passageway. Eve faltered behind them, seemingly frozen next to Dudley.

"Eve, come on," Percy called from the entrance.

"I'll be right behind you," She called back over her shoulder.

Eve returned her attention to Dudley. "Please, _please_ don't do anything stupid. Keep everyone together and make sure they stay safe…Including you," Eve demanded, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I promise," Dudley said.

"Good."

In a brief second, Eve had shifted onto the balls of her feet and placed a quick kiss on his lips. Dudley watched her face become flushed with embarrassment before she turned away.

"Hey," Dudley shouted over the crowd once he recovered from the shock, "Be careful!"

Eve gave him a grim smile before disappearing into the portrait.

* * *

A/N: We are rounding into the last third of our story. As always, thanks for reading and for your reviews. Feedback is what keeps this me running!


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: Going head-first into the war...

* * *

Chapter 22: To be a Gryffindor

 _What did I get myself into?_

This was the first thought that ran through Dudley Dursley's mind as his eyes scanned the large crowd of children in the pub. He could see the fear on their faces. How was he ever going to be able to help a bunch of magical kids? Several of them stared at him expectantly, as though he might have the answers to what was happening. The joke was on them, they probably knew more than he did.

His eyes once again caught sight of the crying girl in blue trimmed robes. The girl sat on the edge of one of the pub tables with her arms folded across her chest. She looked like she was struggling to hide the fear she was feeling; she kept wiping her eyes with the sleeves of her robe.

Cautiously, Dudley made his way over to the girl. Even if he couldn't help them all, he would at least try to do something productive. He had never dealt with younger kids before, unless he counted the times he had beaten them up.

"Hey," Dudley said, sitting himself up on the table with her. A small group of yellow robed girls scooted out of his way. "My name is Dudley," The girl looked at him with suspicious, obviously debating whether or not to answer him.

"Olivia," The girl sniffed, once again wiping her eyes into her sleeves.

"Don't be afraid, you're safe here for now," Dudley assured her, hoping it wouldn't end up being a lie.

"That's not why I'm upset!" She cried, tears starting to roll down her face.

"What's wrong?" Dudley asked. The girl just hiccupped and shook her head. She shifted away from him, indicating that she was done with their conversation.

"Err…Let me know if you need anything, okay?" Dudley said before sliding off the table. He swore he saw her open her mouth to reply, but she instead let out a tiny cough.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" An older boy walked up to him from the corner of the room. He was the only student wearing regular robes, rather than a school uniform. He appeared to be around fifteen, though the sleepless look in his eyes made him appear older.

"It's Dudley, right?" He held out a hand in greeting.

"Yes, and you are?" Dudley asked, shaking it.

"Dennis, Dennis Creevey," The boy answered. "You don't look familiar, did you go to Hogwarts?"

"Um, no…I'm a…Squib," Dudley lied, remembering that squibs were non-magical people born within magical families. He was unsure how the boy would react to him being a muggle. Neither could do magic, so it wasn't a total lie, right?

"Oh," Dennis shrugged, unbothered. "So, what's the plan? Do you know what's going on?"

"I'm probably more clueless than you…and the plan is to stay here."

"It figures…" The boy grumbled, "First, I spend months cooped up in the Room of Requirements while my brother and the rest of the seventh years fought against the Carrows. Now I have to stay in this stupid pub while they fight in this war." Dudley could sympathize, he knew that sensation of helplessness all too well.

"The Room of Requirements?" He asked.

"It's the place that the other end of that tunnel," Dennis pointed at the portrait, "It's a room that accommodates your needs; nearly anything you need appears in there. A lot of us muggleborns have been hiding there. It has been all rather ironic considering that some of You-Know-Who's most loyal followers were stationed there, like the Carrows…"

"Or Snape," Dudley finished. Dennis nodded.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sounds of fighting on the other side of the pub. Two students with red trimmed robes had suddenly gotten into an argument and were fighting. Sparks were erupting from their wands and hitting the hardwood floor beneath them. Dennis ran towards them.

"Oi! Quit that!" He hissed at the two boys. "We can't afford to fight and make noise! I will not have you endangering everyone with your petty problems, so stuff it!" Dennis stood there with his fists bared, as though daring them to continue. The boys looked up at him in fear and pocketed their wands.

Dudley sighed. At least someone knew what they were doing.

* * *

Eve ran through the tunnel closely behind the wizards that she accompanied. She ran her hands across the hard dirt for stability.

The end of the tunnel pooled out into a large room filled with beds, lofts, dressers, and tables all stationed at different levels of flooring. Eve was barely able to appreciate its complex design as their group ran through the doors that lead out to the hall. Eve was awestruck by the massiveness of the hallway. While Ilvermorny was huge, Eve sensed that it paled in comparison to the size of Hogwarts.

"C'mon, this way," Longbottom said, making a sharp left into a small corridor. "I know a shortcut."

After several twists and turns the eerily quiet halls soon echoed with screams and explosions. Their corridor connected to a main hall, where a battle had broken out. Eve jerked Percy to the side of the wall as a red light shot passed them. It collided with a brick wall several yards away, sending bits of chipped-off rubble falling to the floor. Eve's heart was already beginning to race with adrenaline.

Eve's eyes darted across the hall. The rest of their small group was already out of sight, possibly already fighting for their lives. She couldn't see further than a few feet in front of her; the combination of dust from falling brick and the continuous firing of spells greatly hindered her range of sight. Next to her, she heard Percy take a deep breath. He took a step forward into the chaos.

"What are you doing ?!" Eve snapped, firmly gripping the back of his robes in fear and anger.

"My family is out there, I have to help them!"

"Do you even know where to look? You're just going to run right into the battlefield without some sort of strategy or plan? Are you out of your goddamn mind?!"

"Perhaps," Percy said dryly, "but it comes with being a Gryffindor."

Eve bit her lip, knowing that there was no way that she could convince him to wait. She would probably be acting the same way if it were her family that as out there. She even had half a mind to follow aid him; the Weasleys were a nice group of people. After all, Arthur Weasley was the only reason she had been able to join the Order of the Phoenix in the first place. She knew she owed him. However, Eve had her own personal issues to settle and she wasn't going anywhere until she resolved it.

"You better survive this," She demanded the man who had become her friend. She pulled him into a tight embrace.

"I'll do my best. Try to make it through too, alright?" he asked. Eve nodded, she wasn't going to go down without a fight. Percy gave her a small reassuring smile before ascending into the fog.

Eve was on her own.

* * *

With each passing minute the tension and fear increased inside Hogshead. Several of the smaller children were reduced to tears by their own imaginations. They were frightened by a threat that could find them at any moment and their minds couldn't handle the suspense.

Dudley was his wits end trying to calm them all down. Thankfully, Dennis had gathered a group of the older kids to help settle them. One girl in yellow trimmed robes was particularly helpful; she had managed to calm several of the younger students down with her soft and encouraging words. She sat in the corner of the room, distracting them with stories while some of the others stood guard of the doors and windows.

The only child who refused to participate with the other children was Olivia. She ignored the demands of the older kids and instead insisted on watching out the pub window that overlooked the castle of Hogwarts. She stared that the school off in the distance, hardly blinking.

"What are we going to do to keep these kids safe?" Dudley whispered to Dennis as they stared out the dingy window into the empty street in front of them.

"Silas, the Ravenclaw Prefect, is setting up some wards right now," Dennis explained, pointing to a tall, lanky boy that was standing in front of the door. "I think it's a ward that confuses intruders, making them forget why they came near the pub in the first place. I also made sure he put up some basic shield charms, just in case."

"Good," Dudley sighed. It was a relief to know that he had help in keeping the children safe. Dudley pulled out the pouch in his pocket. The Bicorn Capsules shifted slightly in their container. He could provide protection as well, if need be.

"What is that?" Dennis asked, looking at the pouch in his hands.

"They're explosive capsules filled with watered-down bicorn powder. They are useful when…when you don't have a wand." Dudley said a bit sheepishly. "My friend and I created them." He pulled a couple of them out.

"Wicked," Dennis mused, inspecting one in his hand. "How strong are they?"

"That one could probably kill a person if you threw it at them hard enough."

Dennis grimaced slightly before handing it back.

"Keep it," Dudley insisted. "You might need it."

"Right," Dennis nodded and put it in his pocket.

Olivia suddenly screamed from the nearby window. Dudley, Dennis, and several of the older children ran to her side. The younger children erupted into panicked cries, the matronly older girl quickly tried to calm them back down.

"What! What is it!?" several student cried out in fear.

Olivia let out a terrified sob, and pointed out the window. The group around the window watched as one of Hogwarts towers crumbled to the ground.

"Holy shit, the Astronomy Tower…" One of the boys in blue whispered in horror. The older students tried to remain calm in order to keep the younger ones from further fright.

"Everything's going to be all right," Dennis said to the young children, "We are going to be safe."

Olivia, however, sunk to the ground. She began to bawl loudly on the floor of the pub. Dudley kneeled on the floor, hoping to quiet her before she started another uproar.

"It's alright, you're safe…The tower can be rebuilt. It's going to be okay."

"N-nn-no it's n-not!" Her voice was wracked with sobs. "Muh-my sister, Arleen, is still in the school!"

"Look," Dennis said, joining the conversation. "I'm sure your sister is a strong fighter, and she will make it through this battle. My brother is also out there right now…"

"NO!" the girl croaked. "My si-sister is tt-too young. She's only a year older than m-mm-me!"

The older children shared terrified glances, each waiting on baited breath for further explanation.

"S-she's in the ss-school with the other S-Slytherins," Olivia hiccupped.

"Your sister is a Slytherin?" One of the boys in red scoffed. Some of the other older children muttered similar sounds of distaste.

Dudley's mind reeled. Slytherin…He knew that word. It was one of the four houses of Hogwarts. Dedalus had taught him that months ago. His eyes darted around the room. How hadn't he noticed before? There were four houses, yet all the students in the pub were wearing uniforms in one of three colors: red, yellow, or blue. Nobody sported a uniform of a fourth color.

"I thought McGonagall sent those slimy snakes into the portrait after us," A Gryffindor girl said dryly, some of the other nodded in agreement. Olivia buried her face back into her hands.

"Weren't they all in the dungeons when she made that call? Maybe they got stuck down there or something?" A Hufflepuff boy remarked. This caused Olivia to wail.

"There are still students in the school?!" Dudley growled, glaring at the faces that looked down at them.

"Slytherins are bad news," Silas, the Ravenclaw prefect explained as though it was a justification. "Most turn into followers of You-Know-Who, or they have parents that follow _Him_."

"Some of them even suggested that the school should have handed Harry Potter to Him, back in the great hall." Another boy added, "Professor McGonagall said that all of the Slytherin students would soon follow us into the portrait...Something must have happened."

Dudley felt a pang in his chest at the mention of his cousin's name, but the feeling of rage overpowered it. He didn't give a damn about what they said or suggested, he felt another pang of fear for those children.

"Then why have none of you said anything before this? Are you all perfectly fine with the idea of the school crumbling down on top of your fellow students?" They all stared at him, taken aback."I don't care about what some of them said or did to make you angry and I am disgusted that none of you cared to notice that a group of your schoolmates never made it through," Dudley hissed. "There are children down there, some too young to even defend themselves and you are okay with the knowledge that they could die?"

"Dudley," Dennis said, looking down at him in embarrassment, "Professor McGonagall, had set them back to their common room in the dungeons to make sure some of the older ones wouldn't cause problems for the rest of us. I waited for five minutes in the Room, but they never came."

"If I ever meet this Professor, I'll punch her in the face," Dudley muttered as he helped Olivia off the floor. "What sort of teacher would neglect making sure all their children had escaped?" The student stared at him in shock.

"They're still kids. They are somebody's child, friend, or sibling," Dudley said while patting the girl's back as she cried into his shirt. "I personally don't know how the Slytherins can act, but I can certainly see how cold Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws can be. We have to make sure those kids make it out safely." Dudley challenged, staring each of them down. The room went quiet, even the younger children had stopped whimpering, filling the room with a heavy silence.

"Well, what can we do to help?" Dennis asked, finally breaking the silence. He was unable to look Dudley in the eye. "We aren't supposed to leave the pub."

Dudley thought of Eve and the promise he made to her. Part of him wanted nothing more than to keep that promise. However, just knowing about the group of children that remained in the dungeons tugged at his conscious.

"I suppose we'll have to bend the rules a little," Dudley said finally. Looking up at the filled pub.

"How very Gryffindor of you," Dennis said, giving him a wiry smile.

Dudley recalled a discussion he had with Dedalus about the traits of a Gryffindor: they were bold and daring people, willing to take risks in order to achieve a goal, even if it meant breaking the rules occasionally.

Yes, how very Gryffindor of him.

* * *

Eve had been crouching behind a large pile of rubble for several minutes, occasionally peeking over it to get a better look at the situation at hand. Eve had spent months reading up on war tactics knowing that it would come in handy when she would have to be on the field. Her mind reeled through the basic points and maneuvers of warfare as she watched as a Death Eater was bombarded with a bat-bogey hex. Voldemort definitely had sent out his pawns first. It was a very sensible maneuver. Unfortunately, that meant the fighting would only increase in intensity.

Her goal was to find the Death Eater's entrance point. Once she found that, she would have to fight her way past the pawns and into the higher ranks. Most likely, those closest to Voldemort would be holding back, waiting to produce a devastating attack. That's where she needed to go.

Eve spotted a clearing and took the opportunity to run over to another improvised shield, which had once been part of a large door. A purple spell zoomed at her from the right, missing her by several inches. She shot a freezing curse back at the Death Eater, hitting her straight in the chest. Eve shook her head in amusement. It was no wonder that Voldemort sent them out first.

Reaching the safety of the broken door, Eve crouched back down. She glanced around the dusty hall. She was taken aback at the sight of somebody just standing there in the middle of the battlefield. Eve squinted, barely making out the shape of a young woman. The witch seemed to be fiddling with something as bursts of light shot past her.

Eve cringed with concern; just because many Death Eaters had the aiming skills of Stormtroopers didn't mean that it was a safe idea to stand in the middle of a warzone. With a frustrated sigh, Eve bolted from her place to assist the woman. She threw up a shield around them. Hopefully it would last a few minutes.

"Are you crazy?" Eve snapped, "What the hell are you doing in the middle of a battle; do you have a death wish?!" The girl just gazed at her warmly.

"Oh…My shield must have worn off," The girl had an airy voice as light as her stare. "Thanks for catching that. I have been trying to get off this little contraption…It's supposed to be a distractive device against our attackers,"

Eve looked around at the chaos about them. A distraction was exactly what Eve needed.

"We're sitting ducks out here, c'mon." Eve said, pulling the girl with her behind the fallen door. The girl followed without an argument.

"Now what's this "distraction" device?" Eve asked, holding her hand out to get a look at it.

"It supposed to multiply and follow the intended target, then emit a dark cloud of smoke. Very effective," She handed the small purple sphere to Eve, who was beginning to inspect it.

"Thanks…errr," Eve stumbled, realizing she hadn't even asked the girl her name.

"Luna," the girl said with a slight smile.

"Eve," Eve said gruffly, a little embarrassed by her lack of manners. Luna, however, didn't seemed to be bothered.

"It's a Weasley's Wizard Wheezes product…I see that you're a fan of their work," Luna mused, pointing at the clip in her hair. "It's a rather bold look. Your hair doesn't match your eyebrows. I like it."

Eve shifted uncomfortably, not quite sure what to say to this strange girl that focused on such oddities while a war raged around them. She refused to look up from the device.

"You're an American, are you not?" I suppose you attended the Ilvermorny Institute?" Luna asked. "You have a lovely accent."

Eve just nodded, clenching her jaw in frustration. One of the springs appeared to be stuck. Why wouldn't the stupid thing just hurry up and work?

"It's curious that an American would be part of a British war, considering that America shut off all its borders with the UK after You-Know-Who took over. What brought you here in the first place?"

Eve clenched the device tightly in her hands. This girl's uncanny perceptiveness was frightening. Eve chose not to answer. Luna was not bothered by her lack of a response.

"I think it might be jammed," Eve growled, hitting it with the palm of her hand.

"You shouldn't go out there with such anger... You could really regret your actions," Luna said suddenly.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Eve asked, looking up at the girl for the first time.

"I can see the anger and determination in your eyes…Anger brought you here, but anger doesn't ever end well." Luna explained, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I dare say that you certainly have the determination of a Gryffindor."

The device in Eve's hand make a funny clicking noise, it hummed happily in her palm, ready to create havoc.

"But, the brains of a Ravenclaw." She smiled, retrieving the Weasley device from her hand.

"Thank you. I'll use this to create a diversion, which I can see that you greatly desire…I hope you find a peaceful resolution to your problem."

Eve almost snorted. A peaceful solution was the least realistic thing that could happen in her situation. Luna had no idea of her goals.

"And the secrecy of a Slytherin," Luna smirked, pulling at one of Eve's false blonde curls. Eve shrugged away from her and wrinkled her nose in distaste. Why were the British so obsessed with their Hogwarts' houses? People were not as infatuated with housing at Ilvermorny.

Luna sat up, unfazed by the spells being cast overhead. "This will be very useful. Thanks again," She said with the same dazed expression that she had before. Eve felt unnerved by the intense way the girl was staring at her.

"Hmm…" Luna mused, "You look extraordinarily like….your father? Yes, certainly so… Hopefully you won't have to hide forever, it would be a shame to have to pretend to be someone else for the rest of your life."

Before Eve could respond, the girl stood up and walked off, lazily flicking spells away with her wand. Eve sat behind the door, frozen. Her brain trying to process what Luna had just said.

What the hell had just happened?

* * *

A/N: Luna is one of my all-time favorite characters, there is something truly "other worldly" about her. It makes sense to me that she could make such an accurate deduction of who Eve is and her motives.

I also just had to put Dudley more into the battle at Hogwarts... I figure he's become a little too personally involved in the war for him to not want to charge into the castle and fight with whatever he's got.

As always, I hope you enjoyed it. I love all feedback, especially critiques.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Onto the battlefield!

* * *

Chapter 23: On the Way

"We'll have to go back through the portrait tunnel," Dudley said to the small group surrounding him. "Hopefully, we will be able find them quickly and get them back here before things get any worse."

For their mission, Dudley had selected a few individuals that would accompany him. Dudley had picked them quickly, choosing those that seemed the least bias against the Slytherins. The last thing he needed was a group that could cause more trouble on their mission than help. In the end, he had selected Dennis, another Gryffindor boy, two Ravenclaws, and a Hufflepuff girl. He directed the others, under the supervision of the motherly Hufflepuff, to stay behind and protect the younger children.

"Now when we find them, there will be no arguing or fighting of any kind. There is probably already enough blood and violence going on right now as it is. The last thing we need is more of it over petty rivalries. Got it?!" Dudley asked, eyeing each of them.

The group nodded in compliance. Dudley could only hope that they kept their word. It was bad enough that they we already breaking a promise by leaving the pub. Just as Dudley went to move forward, he felt a tug on the hem of his shirtsleeve. He looked down to see Olivia. She stared up at him with a determined expression, there were no longer tears in her eyes.

"Thank you," the little girl said, giving him a hopeful smile.

"We'll make sure your sister gets to safety. We'll make sure they all do." Dudley said, hoping that his words would pan out to be true. Olivia nodded and hugged his arm before joining the other young children in the far corner of The Hog's Head.

The small group stood in front of Arianna's portrait, ready to get into the castle. Dudley looked up at the young girl, who looked just as scared as the children made of flesh and blood sitting across the room.

"Arianna, we have to get into the Room of Requirements," he said as gently as possible, trying not to upset her further.

But Arianna just vigorously shook her head, the pastel curls in her hair bounced violently around.

"Please! We have to get in. There are lives in danger!" Dudley pleaded, clenching his fists in frustration.

Again, Arianna shook her head. Her expression was riddled with lines of emotional turmoil. The group groaned in aggravation.

"Why not?" Dudley asked. He knew paintings could talk. The fishermen in the painting at Marigold Cabin had talked all the time, sometimes too much. This girl, however, remained mute. Instead, she just stood there with her head hanging low in clear distress. Arianna suddenly lifted her hands and pushed lightly on the edge of the canvas. The portrait swung slightly off its hinges, as it had done to let people in and out of the castle. The group gasped at the sight.

There was nothing behind her but solid wall.

Arianna hadn't been trying to keep them in the pub; she physically could not let them in even if she had wanted to. Her frown deepened as she re-attached herself to the pub wall, she was clearly upset.

"I'm sorry Arianna, we didn't know. We'll find some other way to get in." Dudley assured the painting. The girl visibly relaxed, relieved to know it was not her fault.

"What happened?" Dudley asked to no one in particular, "Where is the tunnel?!"

"The tunnel was created by the Room itself, it became our connection to the things it couldn't provide for us. Aberforth has been supplying us with food and water for months. The tunnel has disappeared because the room has changed. Somebody else must be using it." The Ravenclaw girl answered, "There is no way we can sneak in now."

"Not true!" Dennis interjected. The group looked at him in confusion. "There's a passageway through Honeydukes' basement…Fred and George mentioned it years ago when they would sneak in there to get ingredients to test their products with."

"That's great," Dudley said, anxious to get moving, "We can use that passage then."

"Well, there is a catch," Dennis sighed.

"What?"

"The Carrow's know about that passageway, they have it strictly monitored. They have some sort of alarm system rigged in its castle entrance. Even if they aren't there, the alarm is bound to get somebody's attention."

Dudley hesitated, weighing the newly added risks of their mission. He didn't want to endanger any of their lives, but he couldn't just sit back and do nothing. The small group stood in silence, waiting for his call.

"Alright, let's do it."

* * *

Eve was poised in a crouching position. Her mind was reeling with tactical maneuvers and complex offensive spells. She waited for the strange girl to release her distraction device. Honestly, Luna's sharp perceptiveness unnerved her, but her mind had become too focused at the task at hand to put much more thought into their encounter.

Eve saw more Death Eaters advancing from around the corner. Their entrance point had to be close. Crouching, Eve balanced on the balls of her feet, ready to spring up to attack the oncoming threat. She felt her heart begin to race.

With a sudden and spine-chilling screech, explosions of black dust burst into the air. Eve nearly tripped as her adrenaline pushed her to jump from her hiding place. She ran head-on into the mass of people, dodging spells and working her way around the masses of black smoke. Eve flicked her wand, sending a Death Eater to the ground. Eve smiled; it was amazing what a person could accomplish with a simple foot-binding curse.

However, she was immediately humbled as a stinging hex whipped past her, grazing her arm. The burn seared her skin, but she ignored the pain. With a quick turn, she threw a vertigo hex at the culprit and watch as the woman tried to stabilize herself. Eve did not bother to look back as she pushed her way to the front of the castle.

As she rounded the corner, Eve lost her breath. She staggered back, it suddenly felt like all the air had left her lungs. She gasped for air and the world was getting darker. This was different from the physical darkness that Luna's distraction had created, this darkness was thicker and more solid. Eve felt like she was falling down a deep, bottomless tunnel. She felt all her dreams perish and her worst nightmares were becoming a reality. She could see three Dementors floating near her and those were just the ones that had managed to get passed the Patronus wall that a small group of people had created a few yards away.

Eve held up her wand with a shaking arm, but her voice was betraying her. One of the formidable creatures had caught sight of her and changed it course towards her.

Eve felt her knees buckle, the darkness was beginning to compress her. She struggled to find a happy memory. Her mind skimmed over event such as the first time she rode a horse, her first day of school at the Ilvermorny Institute, the day she discovered her passion for potions…Graduation...Her mother...

Eve's eyes opened to see the creature closing in. She gritted her teeth, forcing herself to focus on a memory. She thought of the day out in the snow with Dudley. She found herself smiling, despite the coldness that surrounded her. With the wave of her wand, she shouted

"Expecto Patronum!"

A large clump of light emitted from her wand. Eve hoped, praying that it would become corporeal, just this once. It fluttered for a moment before dissolving into nothingness. She stared in horror as her only form of defense had failed her. It had failed…She had failed.

Eve let out a cry and sunk to the ground, she couldn't stop shaking. She felt herself succumbing to the darkness and evil that had begun to envelope her. There was no hope left for her, no hope at all.

Eve heard a shouting through the darkness; it felt miles away. She opened her eyes and saw a pair of legs through her tunnel vision.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Eve watched as a large and silver flightless bird chase off the Dementor and circle back around to its procurer before disappearing.

"Are you alright?" The boy asked as he held out a hand for her to grab. Eve managed to get on her feet with the boy's help.

"I'll be fine," she responded rather dryly. She could not help but be embarrassed that she had to be saved by a boy who didn't look a day over seventeen. "Thanks."

"More of them are flooding into the school, you need to get out of here!" the boy said, trying to coax her into one of the smaller hallways.

"No, I have to get to the entrance," Eve huffed.

"It's filled with Dementors and people who are in You-Know-Who's inner circle. Do you have a death wish?!"

"Perhaps…" Eve shrugged "I'm looking to take down somebody specific and I'll do anything to get to them."

"Might I ask whom?"

Eve hesitated for a moment, debating whether to tell him the truth or not. She bit her lip slightly before answering.

"Snape."

The boy gave her a dark look; his facial features portrayed the same level of disdain that Eve held for the man. He suddenly broke out into a wiry smile.

"Colin Creevey, at your service," the boy said with a hokey bow, "Let's go find the bat of the dungeons." Colin waved his wand and the large, silvery bird appeared again, it's light ready to guide them into the darkness.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading!


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: This has been probably my favorite, yet most difficult chapter to write. The one's following it haven't been much easier though... But the show must go on!

* * *

Chapter 24: Mind Over Matter

Six figures snuck up the main street of Hogsmeade. The candle-lit street lamps caused them to cast long shadows on the houses and shops that they passed. Though the group traveled quickly, they strived to move quietly, though their shoes made the faintest of clicks on the cobblestone road. The blond-haired wizard led the pack, cautiously stopping every few yards to listen.

Many of the surrounding homes and shops looked abandoned, some donned broken windows and missing doors. Those that appeared untouched looked tightly locked with their curtains drawn across their windows. The town had a very depressed and confined personality.

"Hmmm," Dennis hummed under his breath, his eyes darted across the street.

"What?" Dudley whispered, tightening his grip on the pouch of explosive capsules.

"Well, there is an enforced curfew here. I'm surprised that we haven't alerted any Death Eaters."

"I highly doubt they have the time to pay us any mind," the Ravenclaw boy stated, pointing to the unearthly lights that emanated from the distant school. Dudley was transfixed by the sight. He found himself almost unable to look away, but he was forced onward by the sharp jab of Dennis' knuckles into his shoulder blade.

"It's just around the corner," Dennis whispered. The cobbled street curved to the left, the group followed it down a few more buildings until Dennis stopped them at one that was nearly in ruins. The roof had a huge hole in it, the door hung open on only one hinge, and the remaining windows were caked with grime. The students gazed upon it sadly.

"I miss this place," The Hufflepuff girl exhaled, the other students nodded in agreement. One by one the filled cautiously into the abandoned shop. Dudley let the others pass him and he was the last to walk up the creaky steps that lead to the door. He nearly stumbled upon a plank of wood that lay on the last step. He picked it up to move it out of his way, read the words painted on the other side and leaned it carefully next to the door before walking in.

As he followed the others down into the shop, Dudley imagined a time when the Honeydukes sign hung proudly over the door.

* * *

Eve was able to make her way outside the castle with the assistance of Colin, who was doing exceedingly well at keeping the Dementors away. Eve watched as the silver ostrich ran headlong at one of the dark figures, causing them to scatter. Eve was glad she had decided to have some assistance, she never would have made it this far without a Patronus.

The two of them sought temporary shelter behind a partly dilapidated pillar. Eve peered around the corner. There was a terrifying air of calmness. She had to suppress a shudder.

"If you see any Death Eaters, let me know. They have to be part of You-Know-Who's inner circle and that is where Snape should be."

"Right….errr…" Colin said, creating a vision extension charm to aid his view around the pillar. "What's your name, by the way?"

Eve couldn't help but roll her eyes; only now had he stopped to ask her name. It was obvious that this kid was a bit too trusting. He would have been dead if she had turned out to be a Death Eater. There was no indication by her clothing that she was an Order member, nor did she wear the Hogwarts crest as he did.

"Eve," she whispered hurriedly, "Do you see anything?"

"No, not yet." Colin replied as her continued to peer through his vision charm. Eve let out a frustrated sigh.

"So…" Colin said after a few moments of silence "Why are you aiming for Snape specifically? Well, aside from the fact that he murdered Dumbledore and is probably the worst headmaster in existence."

Eve raised a brow, she vaguely remembered something that Hestia had once told her about the Gryffindor house. While they were brave and prideful, they tended to act before thinking. She supposed this boy was no exception; he had jumped into helping her without having any idea of who she was. Eve would have never followed someone into a battlefield without a concept of whom she was working alongside with.

"Aren't those reasons enough?" She asked as she cast a cloaking spell over them.

Colin just gave her a curt nod. "Just curious. I mean, I would love to see him get what's coming to him, but in all honesty I had forgotten about him because of this mess." Eve just gave him a half-hearted shrug.

"You look familiar," he continued, tilting his head to the side as he observed her "What house are you in?"

Eve froze. Was her disguise really that horrible that people could see through it so easily? She took a few deep breaths before responding.

"I graduated a few years ago," she found herself lying "I was in Hufflepuff." Eve bit the inside of her cheek nervously.

"Oh, okay." Colin said with a shrug. He seemed buying her lie. He paused for a moment.

"Wait…I think I see some Death Eaters. I assumed the group would be larger," Eve peered through the boy's vision spell. Sure enough, she could see five of the cloaked figures heading towards the castle. They approached with their wands drawn, prepared to take out the those who had managed to defeat the less accomplished followers of Voldemort.

Eve scanned the small group that was walking past a section of greenhouses. She could not zoom in far enough on the spell to make out the faces of the group and by the time they would be within range, it would be too late for the two of them to react.

"Do you see if he's there?"

"I can't tell," Eve hissed, angrily stepping away from the vision spell.

"Oh, well," Colin smirked, "Even if he isn't, we can't just let them waltz into Hogwarts…I have a plan." He held out his wand and the vision spell disappeared. "My friend Seamus showed me a neat trick that causes a lot of havoc... and burnt eyebrows," he added with a smile. Eve eyed him curiously.

"If I know anything about Snape, it would be that nothing fazes him. He always seems to be ten steps ahead of everyone else. If he's in that group, he will be the first to react, but he will probably let the others check out the source…That's the one you want to go after."He continued.

"What about you?" Eve asked, worried for the boy's safety.

"Don't worry, this spell is pretty obnoxious, I'll be hard to catch," Colin assured her. "When I cast the spell, you can sweep around to the side and confront Snape. If he's not there, then you can at least take out the group from behind."

Eve sighed. Shaking her head to no one in particular. This idea was insane. But insanity was her only real chance at this point.

"Okay…" Colin breathed, "One…two…."

Eve could not recall hearing Colin reach three, but he must have said it because the next second she was racing past other dilapidated pillars and around towards the greenhouses. She managed not to look back as the boom of a large explosion echoed behind her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw coils of fire bounce around the group of Death Eaters. Eve cast a notice-me-not charm around herself as she watched the group attack the flames. Colin unleashed another round of the coils, Eve watched as some of them caught sight of the boy in the distance and ascended upon the pillar where he was hiding. Eve's first instinct was to attack the Death Eaters that were approaching Colin, but she remembered the boy's reassurance and instead forced her focus on the three remaining Death Eaters who were still approaching the castle.

Eve cursed under her breath, none of them appeared to be Severus Snape. Then again, their mission had been a shot in the dark. She had risked her life and the life of another person off of a whim, perhaps she was more like a thoughtless Gryffindor than she would care to admit. However, she still couldn't just let them waltz into Hogwarts. She would take them down and then keep searching.

With a sudden fight or flight response, Eve attacked the shortest and closest Death Eater. An orange, funnel-like spell hit the squat man with a hurricane force, knocking him straight into a tree, rendering him unconscious. While taking out that Death Eater has been ridiculously easy, Eve had countered her own cloaking charm. Now the two remaining individuals had their eyes set on her. The female one attacked first, sending a familiar emerald-green light her. Eve ducked out of the way before retaliating with a vertigo hex. This time, the taller male raised his wand, deflecting her spell with ease.

Eve's breath caught in her throat. What had she gotten herself into?

* * *

The tunnel leading from Honeydukes' basement was dark and dank and full of roots. Dudley followed the lighted wands of the Hogwarts students that were in front of him. For extra security, he placed his hands on each side of the small tunnel to support him if he were to trip over any roots. Dudley hoped they were close to the end; he was already very tired and their group had already been walking for a good half hour.

"How much further?" the Hufflepuff girl asked, apparently thinking along the same lines as he was.

"It's at least another kilometer," Dennis answered. "You'll know we're closer when the tunnel starts going uphill.

Dudley inwardly groaned; that is the last thing he wanted to do.

* * *

Eve was in a daze. Her body felt as though it had switched to autopilot. Every move she made, every dodge and spell she cast was accomplished without thinking. All of the training she had in the short month before being stationed at Marigold Cabin was revealing itself.

The female Death Eater - while able to produce formidable curses - was erratic in her casting. She lacked consistency and form. Eve knew she had to wear the woman down before she would be able to take her out. The man, however, was much more precise in his movements, yet he delivered little effort in his retaliation, waiting for her to make a fatal mistake before producing a final blow.

If it had been a fair fight, Eve felt she could have eventually taken out the two Death Eaters, but when fighting against people like that, there was no such thing as "playing fair."

Someone had cast a spell at her from the sidelines, sending her wand soaring into the darkness behind her. She had to dodge out of the way of the oncoming spells that were suddenly bombarding her. Eve quickly grabbed a many exploding capsules as she could from her bag and chucked them at the two closest Death Eaters.

The resulting explosion was deafening even when she had covered her ears. As the haze from the explosives began to clear, she could make out the male and female Death Eaters lying on the grass. Eve allowed herself a faint smile; at least she had taken out those two idiots.

However, her victory was short-lived as the dust cleared and another burst of yellow light dropped several feet to her left. The blatant lack of aim confused her. What sort of Death Eater fired warning shots? Eve retrieved another capsule from her bag and was prepared to throw it. The distant dark wizard cast another spell, which landed at her feet. Another warning. Eve tossed another capsule in the man's direction. He casually flicked his wand, sending it several meters away.

It was then that Eve felt an odd sensation pass underneath her scalp, it felt like tiny strands of spider webs were stretching across her brain, attempting to dig deeper into her grey matter. Eve had never felt it before, but she knew what it was. The man was using legilimency on her. She recalled reading a few books on the subject, but she had never had the desire to learn it. People were confused enough with their own thoughts and memories, what was the point of looking for more?

Eve stumbled backwards. She tried her best to block the invasion in her mind, but her lack of experience made that next to impossible. She saw flashes of memory from minutes ago: attacking the Death Eaters, Colin, fixing the strange device for Luna, the horrific Dementors, saying goodbye to Percy, kissing Dudley before she ran into the magical tunnel…

Eve felt a sharp stab in her side when she fell onto the grass. Something pointed in her black bag had jabbed her just below the ribs. Blinded by the memories of the day's events, Eve fumbled for her bag, quickly finding the offending object. As her fingers brushed its smooth wooden texture, she remembered what it was and where it had come from- it was the wand she had stolen from that Death Eater at Christmas. She had completely forgotten about it!

With a new weapon in hand, Eve flung a stinging hex at her opponent. She was unsure of whether it had hit him or not, but it provided the distraction needed to interrupt his concentration. She jumped to her feet, fear overriding her logic, and sent a rapid fire of nearly every hex and useful spell she could think of.

The man was quicker than she was and his skills far more advanced. He blocked or evaded each one of her attacks and retaliated with a succession of white-blue spells. Eve cringed, preparing for the fatal impact. She felt three of them hit her with sharpe stings, not unlike the times she had been nailed with softballs during practice. Eve felt to her knees. The spells were incredibly painful, but far from lethal. What was this Death Eater's game? Was he just being merciful, or was this the beginning of a long and drawn out torture? Panic began to set in as she felt the impact sights become numb. She could no longer feel the wand in her right hand, let alone her entire arm. Her left shoulder and hip also buzzed with the same sensation. A numbing hex? Why on earth would he use a numbing hex?

She could feel the man approaching her as she struggled to stand up, but the numb hip weighed her down. Scared, she began to pry her motionless fingers from the wand with her still functioning hand. Just as she transferred the weapon to her left hand to defend herself, she felt the tip of a wand rest high upon her forehead.

* * *

As the path sloped upward, Dudley found himself tripping over several roots. On the last large root he nearly toppled over, taking the Ravenclaw boy with him.

"We're nearly there," Dennis exclaimed. "We should be under the castle right-"

There was a sudden, earth shattering boom. It sounded as though something large and heavy had fallen above them. The tiny tunnel seemed to shake under the impact; clumps of dirt fell from the ceiling. The Hufflepuff girl let out a scream.

"Everything will be all right," the other Gryffindor boy assured her, lightly touching her shoulder.

There was another, significantly smaller, but terrifyingly closer sound coming from behind them. Dudley could hear the earth falling hundreds of meters away. The noise however, didn't stop. Instead, it was making its way closer to them.

"Cave in…" Dudley found himself mumbling wearily. Another second later, his mind caught up with his sense.

"Cave in!" Dudley shouted, "Run!"

Dudley found himself running, tripping, and clawing his way to the exit. Just as he thought that he might never reach the end, he found himself face-planting into a nicely polished marble floor…or was it dull stone? Dudley messaged his nose and temple, hoping he didn't have a concussion. Luckily one of the students had padded his fall a little.

"Is everybody okay?" Dennis asked. There were murmurs of life from all of them. Dudley got to his feet and aided the Ravenclaw boy that he had been smothering seconds before. The hall was eerily silent, seemingly void of the prevailing war.

Dudley attempted to look at his surroundings, but found it nearly impossible to. His eyes were have some strange form of double-vision. One part of his vision could see clean floors and moving pictures of various people, but the other part saw a dilapidated castle with growing vegetation, that appeared to have been abandoned for hundreds of years. The sight made him dizzy. The two layers overlapped each other in the center. Dudley clung to the both ancient and well-maintained wall for support.

"Are you alright, Dudley?" Dennis asked, sounding worried.

"My eyes…" Dudley huffed, "Something's wrong. I think I have a concussion. It's like I'm seeing two different places at once." The group stared at him in confusion.

"That doesn't seem like a concussion to me," The Ravenclaw boy said gruffly, most likely from being Dudley's mattress, though he tapped his chin in deep contemplation.

"But…"

"You'll be fine!" the Ravenclaw boy suddenly snapped. "We need to get a move on!"

Dennis glared at the boy, but reluctantly nodded in agreement. "As much as I hate them… we have to find the Slytherins and hope they're not dead yet."

The group began to quickly ascend the hall. The Ravenclaw boy grabbed Dudley by his shirt sleeve to lead him forward. They were several paces behind the rest of the group when the boy whispered to him over his shoulder.

"Why didn't you tell us you were really a Muggle?" His whispered words flooded his ears with noise in the still surprisingly quiet hallway. Dudley gaped at him with surprise.

"How did you know?" he asked the boy in blue and bronze.

"There are spells in Hogwarts that keep Muggles away. Ones that make it appear dangerous and abandoned to a person with no magic…A squib would have enough magic in them to see Hogwarts properly."

"How is it that I can kind of see it then?" Dudley asked, before taking a wary step forward, hoping there was really stone where his faulty eyes saw a gaping hole.

"It could be many factors. Maybe the spell wears off the further into Hogwarts you go, or the magic is busy focusing on keeping the building upright. Who knows, maybe you even have a small bit of magic in your blood..."

"Will you two quit your whispering?" The Hufflepuff girl asked, pressing a finger to her lips. The front of the group had stopped. Dennis had apparently heard some noises coming from around the corner that were heading straight for them.

"I hear people," he breathed quietly.

"It that the sound of metal?" the other Gryffindor said. The sounds of metal on marble rhythmically made its way towards them.

Dennis held up three fingers, signaling a countdown to prepare for an attack. Each of the students held out their wands as Dudley retrieved his explosive capsules. The Ravenclaw boy held on to his shirtsleeve with his free hand, in case they need to make an escape.

As Dennis' last finger dropped the group turned the corner, ready to were several small screams from the opposing party.

"Put the wand down Creevey." A voice older than the screams demanded. "Look before you leap Gryffindork, otherwise you might end up smooshed." The girl said lazily as she casually pointed to the giant sentient suit of armor next to her.

Through the two mixed layers of reality, Dudley could make out the sea of green ties and pajamas. They appeared to have found the Slytherins.

* * *

Eve was frozen with fear. Being at point blank range was not a comforting position to be in.

"Pity...from your earlier display in battle, I would have expected more of a challenge. But, I can see you're just another idiotic child." The man said with biting malice. Eve forced herself to look up at her victorious opponent.

Though she had a strong feeling as to the identity of her opponent before looking up, she still felt her mind reel with shock at the familiar sharp, black eyes that stared down at her. She recognized them because they were the same eyes that she saw every morning in the bathroom mirror.

Eve now completely understood the reason behind the violent reactions she had received several times from Order members she had met. She was a carbon copy of the man that stood in front of her, from their dark eyes, to their cheekbones, to their build. The only outstanding differences that she could observe between them was their noses and the curly blonde disguise she currently donned. She saw how she could be easily mistaken as Severus Snape at first glance.

If Snape noticed their similarities, he showed no indication of it. His eyes continued to bore into her as she gaped back up at him. He muttered something about stupid children.

"I suggest you apply whatever intelligence you do have to leave this place as quickly as possible." He removed his wand from her temple and stepped back.

Eve was dumbfounded; the most hated man in the world, the killer of Albus Dumbledore, was allowing her a chance to escape. This merciful gesture struck Eve as something worse than simply being killed. Her drive over the past year had revolved around seeing to his monster's demise and now the very man was dismissing her as if she were a pathetic schoolchild. She certainly felt pathetic.

"Go, before I change my mind," he sneered.

Eve felt her emotions and mind suddenly go blank, as though the numb places in her body had traveled directly to her brain. With robotic-like movements, Eve managed to stand herself up, meeting her father at eye level. She only had to tip her head up slightly, for she was only an inch or two shorten than him.

"No," she said coolly, "I'm not going anywhere," Eve pointed the wand at him with her left hand, knowing full well that she would lose if she attempted to combat him.

Severus Snape pressed his wand into her jugular. Eve did not move as he stared at her sharply.

The previous, creeping pain of legilimency was replaced with a sudden sharp bombardment of her thoughts. This time, Eve was not frightened by his mental attack. In fact, she had been counting on it. She knew she had no skills at blocking an invasion of her mind. So, instead of trying to hold them back, she pushed them.

Eve found herself forcing the strongest and most painful memories she could think of: several fights with Mrs. Dursley, having hot tea thrown at her face, the death of Mr. Dursley, her accidental magic incident with Dudley. She knew she wasn't able to stop him, so she was going to overwhelm him. Eve pushed harder; Mad-Eyed Moody's interrogations, being lost in London trying to find the Order, writing her mother a goodbye letter before flooing to England, losing everything she had worked for in school, seeing Severus Snape's "Most Wanted" picture in the newspaper, being a third year and seeing her double in the back of her potions book, being small and feeling left out every single father's day... Every dark or hurtful memory poured out in front of her.

Eve suddenly found herself back on the Hogwarts grounds, feeling incredibly nauseous. Tears involuntarily fell from her eyes from both the physical and emotional pain. She glanced at the man in front of her; Snape had stumbled back from the bombardment of her memories, but was still standing. Eve grabbed the last explosive capsule that was in her bag. She waited until those same black eyes opened to look at her, then pelted the mini explosive as hard as she could at the ground in front of him.

Eve felt herself flying before the darkness consumed her.

* * *

A/N: Can you see why this was so difficult for me. A lot of action and a lot of change. I was fearful of taking the plunge into writing Eve's scene, while trying to maintain a sense of dignity for both my OC and an important canon character.

Please review your thoughts!


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: There is no such thing as a good war...

* * *

Chapter 25: War

"Greengrass," Dennis answered sharply to the lead Slytherin girl. The girl appeared to be close to Dudley's age, looking a fair bit older than the majority of the students behind her. Dudley counted only three others who appeared to be her age, the rest were younger, and looked absolutely frightened, but unharmed. Dudley noticed a small girl that hid behind the suit of armor, her brown eyes peered cautiously around it. She looked very familiar; he suspected that she was Olivia's sister.

"Creeve," The girl spat, folding her arms across her chest. "What are you doing here? I thought you had been chased out long ago by the Mudblood hunters. And why are you here leading a bunch of kids into a warzone?"

"I was hiding in the school the whole time, right under your oh-so-superior noses. And against my better judgement, we actually came back to save your sorry arses."

"Well, looks like you went out on a fool's errand. How surprising." Greengrass mocked, rolling her eyes. "We already have our protection, which I will admit are an impressive creation of McGonagall's. Because that weird room seems to be broken, we are heading to the Honeydukes passage, which you idiots are blocking."

"Good luck getting through there." Scoffed the Ravenclaw boy "It caved in." The girl made a face that told Dudley that was not an answer that she had expecting.

"Now what?" one of the second year Slytherins asked, his lower lip trembled as he spoke.

"We need to find another way out," Greengrass said stiffly. "You Gryffindorks are notorious rule-breakers, surely you know of another passage."

"Not of any more that lead out of here," Dennis growled.

"Well, then we have to find somewhere to hide," the only older male Slytherin said. "We can't just waltz out the front hall doors."

There was a sudden shaking in the hall. Equally-spaced thuds came from far down the corridor. It sounded like rolling thunder. Dudley peered over the group of Slytherins, his eyesight seemed to have a better focus on the magical environment than it did earlier. At the end of the long, narrow hallway, stood a hulking figure.

"Troll!" Somebody shouted. "Run!"

The troll, which had previously been lumbering, had begun to pick up his pace, each thud shook the floor as they ran.

"Everyone, follow me!" the Hufflepuff girl shouted, "The prefects bathroom is only a few halls down!" The larger portion of the group, including the Slytherins, listened and ran with her down one of the many winding halls, the animated knight following close behind them. Silas pulled Dudley behind a statue, where Dennis and a few of the Gryffindors had chose to hide. Dudley felt another individual squeeze in next to him. The Greengrass girl scoffed as a shifted around.

"What the hell are you doing Greengrass?" Dennis hissed under his breath.

"I don't want that troll getting anywhere near that bathroom. My sister is in there," she whispered as the troll stopped in the archway. It looked down the now empty halls, looking very confused.

"We need to take it out," the Ravenclaw girl whispered, "Before it wanders any closer."

"Dennis, do you still have that capsule I gave you?"

Dennis nodded. Dudley motioned for him to give the explosive to him. Dudley held the capsule for a second before pitching it right at the troll's head.

The explosion was deafening, and there was a sickening, earth-moving thud. Greengrass let out a scream, and Dudley dared to open his eyes. He was greeted by the sight of a purplish ooze that now covered the wall and floor of the hall.

"It's head exploded," the Ravenclaw boy gagged as he observed the trolls headless body. The Gryffindor boys all looked a little green around the gills. Dudley felt sick to his stomach.

"What was that?" the Slytherin girl shrieked, wiping a bit of troll blood that had gotten on her shoe onto the statue.

"An exploding capsule. I helped create it," Dudley said proudly. "Though I didn't know it could blow up a troll's head."

"How positively crude… but effective," the girl sniffed. Dudley flashed her a smile, he had a feeling that was her way of giving a compliment.

"Imagine if he had thrown that at a person," one of the Gryffindor boys shuddered.

"Don't worry, I don't have any more of that caliber."

"Well, that is not something that I wanted to hear," Dennis said, his face turning white as he stared down the hall that the troll entered from. "Because we've got more company."

Dudley paled as heard more heavy footsteps, it sounded like there was more than one this time. The group pulled out their wands. Dudley reached into his bag of explosives.

He was ready.

* * *

Eve let out a groan as consciousness spread across her frontal lobe; she could feel her mind slowly waking up. She stretched her arms a little, relieving the heavy-weighted sensation they had. Her left arm brushed up against a prickly wall, the other pressed against a cold and smooth surface.

Where was she?

Eve forced her eyes open. The world seemed to shimmer around her for a moment, but the sensation disappeared before she could focus on it. The sky above her was dark grey, the last of the daylight had faded behind the layer of clouds. To her right, she saw her own blonde-wigged reflection through the glass wall besides her, the prickly wall on her left was a row of short hedges - and she was nestled perfectly between them. The surrounding area was lit up around her in a reddish glow, allowing her to see. It flickered, the amount of visual light waxed and waned. It reminded her of something horribly familiar.

Fire.

Eve shot up into a sitting position. A grouping of pillars several feet away were blazing with flames. The flickering light of the fire reminded her of the burning remains of Marigold Cabin, a night she could never forget. The fire was almost the exact same size as the cabin she had lived in for several months, but it proved to be only a fraction of a fraction of the colossal castle behind it. She stared, transfixed by the scene.

Suddenly, her mind fully caught up with her. She was at Hogwarts. There was a war and Dudley and Percy and a girl named Luna and that kid, Colin and Snape… Snape, the man she hated and her father. She remembered the spell casting, the legilimency, throwing the exploding capsule, and then nothing. Eve briefly wondered how the explosion had managed to wedge her there without destroying the bushes or breaking the glass greenhouse wall, but her focus turned to the more pressing issue. Where was Snape?

Eve scanned the courtyard and saw no one around, the man must have recovered from the damage and escaped. Eve's heart sank. She had one objective and she had failed it. The old bat probably made his tracks untraceable, there was no way she follow him now.

What had she expected? She had tried to attack a man with a large amount of skill and years more practice. Eve had always thought of herself as intelligent, but took an actual defeat to make her see the obvious; she had been blinded by fear and anger. She had wanted to defeat her father so she could save herself from being prosecuted the rest of her life, yet she couldn't perform a corporeal patronus. She should have known that she would have been ridiculously outmatched. She was lucky to even be alive.

Everything had been a waste...She had caused unneeded turmoil in the Dursley family, she had added additional baggage to the Order with her own selfish needs, and she had even been as ignorant as to drag someone else into executing her plan. Colin had been a distraction for nothing…

Another rock formed in her stomach as she stared at the large fire that weaved between the pillars. Hadn't Colin distracted the other Death Eaters with pyrotechnics?

Eve found herself running towards the fire before she could comprehend the jolting pain in her leg. The fire blazed in front of her with increasing heat as she approached. The fire and smoke blocked her view of the other side of the pillars, she had to find a way to put it out.

As she approach, Eve almost screamed as her foot grazed the side of a body that had been partly buried under some rubble. It was one of the Death Eaters that had chased Colin down. Eve touched the side of the woman's neck, she was as pale as the stones that covered most of her and as equally unmoving. She sat there a moment in silence out of respect. There was no use in judging the dead.

Eve let out a jagged sigh, but fearlessly reached for the woman's outstretched hand, which still held her wand. Eve pried the woman's fingers from it. The wand warmed in her hands, recognizing a new source of magic to control it. She stood and made a circular pattern with the wand, a jetstream of water erupted from the wand and began dousing the flames. The fire quickly receded to only a few pockets of dying embers. Eve pushed her way through the charred environment.

"Colin!" Eve called, her voice shook fearfully "Colin, where are you?!" She dodged in between slabs of rock, looking for a sign of the boy.

"Colin!" she shouted again. This time she calmed herself down enough to stop and listen. She turned, hearing a very faint sound. It came from behind a dilapidated statue. Eve rushed to the spot, jumping over its fallen remains.

"Col-"

Eve couldn't finish his name. Bile rose in her throat as she saw the figure lying on the floor.

Sever burns covered Colin Creevey's entire torso. Most of his robes had been burned away, mixing with his equally burned skin. The smell of charred flesh burned her nose, almost making her retch. The burn stretched from his thighs to the bottom right side of his face. Terrified, Eve dropped to her knees next to him.

Colin let out another faint whimper. Eve choked up, the poor boy was still alive. He struggled to speak.

"Don't try to speak yet, I'm going to heal you," Eve dug through her purse and pulled out every medicinal supply she had. She looked at all the small vials and shook her head to suppress the tears forming in her eyes. She knew she didn't have the right to properly heal him. Even if she did, Colin still wouldn't have much of a chance: the burns were too severe at this point for even magic to cure completely. As she cast a quick diagnostic spell, for she knew there was no time to rush him inside to the school's hospital as his body was already shutting down.

Colin made another, more desperate noise and struggled again to speak and Eve couldn't understand him. She took the bottle of Burn Salve - which was only meant for much smaller and less severe burns - and uncorked it. She doused the entire bottle around Colin's neck and throat. The blackened skin hardly changed as it soaked in the serum, but she hoped it was just enough to partially heal the vocal chords.

"...Eve." Colin struggled to say, his voice was almost impossible to hear, but it was there.

"Colin," Eve cried, "This is all my fault. This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't brought you into this!"

But Colin just blinked. "Snape?"

Eve shook her head. "All my fault, for nothing!" she sobbed, allowing tears to flow freely from her eyes. However, Colin seemed unfazed by this news.

"Death Eaters?" he croaked.

"The one's that chased you? Yeah, You got 'em." Eve choked, trying to clear her throat.

"Good."

"Colin… I can't…" Eve tried to say as he struggled to breathe.

"I... know," he managed.

"It's all my goddamn fault. I'm sorry."

"Not...fault. My own." Colin replied, "Too much….firepower."

Eve opened her mouth to tell him exactly how much of her fault it was. She wanted to tell him who she really was and her real purpose for hunting down Snape. But Colin stopped her from speaking.

"Give wand to Dennis...my brother," he said, glancing at his wand that lay untouched, near his body. "Tell him. My family. I love them."

"I will." Eve said gravely as she watched as each of his breaths took longer to complete. She grabbed the wand and placed it in her bag. Showing him that she would keep it safe. The boy gave her a relaxed, peaceful look that chilled her spine.

"...Stay?" he exhaled. His voice tapering out.

"Of course," she sniffed.

Eve laid next to Colin and quietly stroked the side of his face, like her mother would do to her when she was a child. She knew that was probably one of the only places he could feel any sort of touch and she wanted to provide him with whatever comfort she could. Even after she watched the boy take his last breath, Eve remained on the ground next to him, she had no will to leave.

* * *

"Prepare yourselves," Dennis said, as three larger and uglier trolls began to meander down the hall.

"Silas, cover the left. Hal, the right. Greengrass, you're on defence, don't let that troll get past you, and watch Dudley's back...He doesn't have his wand."

Dudley watched surprised as the girl actually listened to Dennis and gave him a curt nod. She bought the Gryffindor's lie and stood ready to attack and defend.

The three trolls finally caught sight of the small group, their lumbering footsteps threw Dudley off-balance, he nearly dropped the bag of explosives from the sheer force of their movement.

The first of the three was bulky and grey, its eyes were unfocused, which made it look particularly stupid and ugly. However, it seemed to know straight away that they were a threat. The club that it held appeared to be the remnants of an uprooted tree. It swung the club, ready to squash Dennis. Dennis quickly cast an orange shield around him as Silas the Ravenclaw shot a golden light right into the creature's eyes. The troll roared, slamming the tree trunk into the marble flooring. It rubbed it eyes with it free forearm, blinded by the spell. The other Gryffindor boy shot another spell at its head. The troll screeched and stumbled forward, losing its footing. The three boys in front of him tried to scatter in the narrow hall space as it began to fall.

Dudley shot forward and threw a few of the smaller capsules at the monster, providing enough force to toss it backwards. The troll fell back on its heels at the feet of the two trolls behind it, and did not move. He smiled victoriously.

The victory was short-lived, however, as the two trolls behind it were several feet taller, their heads just brushed the ceiling, their massive bodies covered the entire hallway as they stood shoulder to shoulder. Silas shot another blinding spell at one of them, but it quickly shielded itself with its large, thorny club. The other troll swung its giant tree branch, hitting Dennis' shield. The boy's spell held, but the force of the club and smashed the spell downward, creating a small crater with Dennis at its center.

Light's shot from each member of the party. However, whenever one troll took a hit, the other would advance forward. Many of the spells that were cast seemed to be only slightly bothersome to their massive sizes. The group had begun to spread out, trying to take them down. Silas and the two Gryffindors final seemed to be getting an edge on one of them as they fired spells erratically at it, causing it to swing its club in confusion.

However, the other one had made it past them, leaving it to Dudley and the Greengrass girl to take care of it. The Slytherin shot a rope-like spell at the troll, in an attempt to tie its feet, but the creature was too strong, and quickly snapped it as it moved closer. It glared adamantly at the girl and begun swinging its club in her direction. She dodged its attack several times, attempting to hit it in between each swing. Dudley tried to distract it by throwing a few capsules at it, but the explosions we not large enough to hurt or distract it, as it seemed intent on taking the Slytherin girl down. Dudley knew eventually Greengrass would tire out or the troll would get lucky and hit her. In a last-ditch attempt, Dudley chucked the entire bag of remaining explosives at the center of the creature's back. With an echoing bang, the explosives had a large enough combined force to knock it off balance. The troll staggered forward, threatening to crush the girl who was struggling to get back up after dodging the last club swing.

Dudley acted upon instinct and literally dragged the girl by her leg from underneath the falling troll, which impacted with a resounding smash. The body landed just inches away from them, a pool of purple blood oozed from its forehead. The Greengrass girl's eye darted between the troll and Dudley several times.

"You...saved my life," she gasped, appearing to realize how close she had been to being flattened. She stared up at him with an expression that Dudley pegged as gratefulness.

"I guess I did," Dudley said, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck.

Suddenly, as if realizing an error in her ways the girls face darkened again. She stood up and dusted herself off. "Which was completely unnecessary. I was more than capable of escaping that...grotesque thing. Really bold of you, making me look as useless as a Muggle!" She scoffed.

Dudley felt a strong sense of rage at her use of the word "Muggle." She made it sound dirty, like something worse than gunk stuck to the bottom of her shoe.

"Well this useless _Muggle_ just saved your life."

Greengrass' eyes seemed to boggle as she stared at him in disbelief. She opened her mouth several times, but no sound escaped. Her face quickly went red, either from embarrassment or anger.

"So, you're saying either we're both useless, or you are more useless than me, the Muggle."

He supposed she might have said something if another, earth-shaking thud had not taken place. The two of them turned to see that the other giant had fallen. The three boys stood around it, looking disheveled. Other than Silas' bleeding arm, they appeared to be alright. Dudley and the Slytherin girl approached them.

"What now?" the Gryffindor boy asked.

"We should split up and search for another way out," Dennis suggested. The other boys nodded in agreement. Greengrass, however, did not look amused.

"Well, while you idiots go on that suicide mission, I'm going to make sure my classmates and my sister are safe," she huffed. Before turning to leave, she continued, "But if you happen to be successful, you know where we are."

"Good luck Greengrass," Dudley said.

The girl stopped dead in her tracks. She looked coldly over her shoulder at them.

"Yes, I _wish_ you no such thing," she hissed, strongly emphasizing the word 'wish.' "Though I have a feeling you will all return alive, just to spite me," she said while making eye contact with Dudley.

"And I have a name, it's Daphne." With a final sweep of her long, dark hair, she hastened towards the bathrooms. The boys silently watched her go.

"What the hell was that all about?" Dennis asked Dudley.

"Eh, she's just mad that I saved her life," Dudley said, trying to brush it off.

"So, what were you saying about splitting up?" Silas asked, focused on the task at hand.

"Yes. Silas, Hal - Go check the kitchens. Maybe some of the elves are still there and can help you find a way out for everyone."

"And what about you?" Hal asked.

"I'm going to find my brother," Dennis said stiffly. If the others objected it, they didn't speak up. "Dudley, you should probably to the prefect's bathroom with the others. It's down the hall and-."

"No. I have to find my friends. I need to know if they are okay," Dudley said, standing up straight in an attempt to use his height as threat to any objections.

"But you don't have anything to protect yourself with now."

"I was in boxing for several years. Now that my vision has cleared. I can at least aim," he replied. Silas nodded in approval.

"I'm not going to be able to talk you out of it am I?" Dennis groaned.

"No."

"Fine," the boy grumbled, "Let's go."

Dudley ran followed Dennis deeper into the castle. He just hoped he could make it through with his bare hands.

* * *

" _You've fought valiantly, but in vain_."

A voice echoed in Eve's head. It was cold, sinister. A horribly slimy creature in her ear.

" _I do not wish this. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a terrible waste._ "

Eve wanted to open her eyes, but she feared what she would see if she dared to look.

" _I therefore command my forces to retreat... In their absence, dispose your dead with dignity..._ "

Eve had enough strength to try and cover her ears, but the voice continued from inside her mind. She internally screamed, trying to drown out its voice. Words still shivered down her spine. _Harry Potter...dishonor...fate…_ these words resonated in her head even when the voice faded. She curled herself up tightly in a ball. She wouldn't, she couldn't move. She continued to lay there, for minutes, hours, days, as the night's wind blew across her face.

Suddenly, she heard movement above her and felt a person kneel next to her. Eve wanted to open her eyes, but her body felt so heavy, like an unmovable stone. A palm brushed the side of her face and Eve's eyes shot open, energized by the new stimulation. A pair of light blue eyes greeted her.

"Oh dear," Luna said in her whimsical voice, though her face looked grave. The strange girl grabbed Eve's hands and pulled her up. Eve's body was like a puppet and followed without much resistance.

"...My fault…" Eve said as Luna inspected Colin's charred body. The blonde girl waved her wand and his body floated carefully off the ground. Eve felt dazed and had become rooted to the spot.

Luna stared intensely at her for a moment before delivering a sharp smack to the side of her face. Eve stumbled back, flabbergasted.

"Your mind has been completely infested by Nargles. You have to fight through them now, or you will not live to see the end of this war!" The odd girl's sudden outburst had Eve reeling. She had no idea what a Nargle was, but her words had made sense...in a way. Eve knew she had to keep moving, for herself, her friends, and for the countless others suffering because of this war.

"There will be time to grieve," Luna whispered, her voice returning to its soothing tone as she lightly took her hand. She gently guided Eve forward so that they could take care of the ones they had lost with Colin's body followed closely behind them. As they approached the entrance of the castle, Luna allowed Eve to stop and regain her composure before she continued on fighting.

* * *

A/N: This was a scary chapter to write. I tried to jump into Eve's mind to figure out how she should react to such as situation. It was a dark, scary place, but totally worth writing.

As always, I hope you enjoyed it and don't a afraid to review!


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26: A Terrifying Calm

Dudley followed closely behind Dennis as they weaved through various narrow hallways. Hogwarts seemed to be an endless maze. He wondered how Dennis was able to find his way, the endless corridors made Dudley's head spin, at least he no longer had the double vision!

Sudden bursts of sound echoed through the halls. They were nearing the war zone. Dennis stopped at the end of the hall, and peeked around the corner, quickly retreating when a bright bolt of light zipped past him.

With a few waves of his wand, Dennis cast a spell around them; the surrounding world was now a tinted purple.

"It's a simple shielding spell," Dennis said. "It won't hold up long, so keep on your toes."

Dudley slowly curled his hands into fists. When the shield fell, he would be ready. He wasn't going down without a fight.

The next thing that Dudley knew, they were out in a much larger hall. So many colors and sounds encircled them that it began overwhelming his senses. He watched as Dennis shot a spell at a nearby Death Eater. The man quickly retaliated with a blindingly blue spell. Dudley instinctively grabbed the younger boy by the shirt collar to yank him out of the way, but the spell rebounded off the shield that still surrounded them. The Death Eater was not deterred, however, and the second time he attacked with a yellow burst of energy. Upon impact, the shielding spell broke with a small static fizzle. The two of them were now exposed. Dennis continued to throw spells at the Death Eater in an attempt to keep him at bay.

Dudley's eyes darted nervously around the scene. He was in the middle of a wizarding No-Man's land. For the first time he noticed several bodies lying on the ground. Blood, ash, and rubble consumed the hall. Part of him wanted to freeze in panic, but an adrenaline rush was also flooding through his body. He could either fight or flee. Dudley had no time to make a choice, because a choice was quickly made for him. Through his peripheral vision, Dudley saw a jade light hurtling towards him. He fell the the ground and the light went flying just inches over his head.

Dudley quickly looked for the source of the spell. To his right, a girl roughly his age was fighting another Death Eater whose back was to Dudley. He noticed the girl in red robes was struggling against the man in front of her. The Death Eater hit her with a spell that caused her to grab her stomach in pain. Her screams added the the plethora of sounds echoing through the hall.

Dudley wasted no time in taking action. With a rage of energy, he grabbed a large chunk of rubble from the ground and charged at the Death Eater, bringing it down his head. The Death Eater fell to the floor with a thud. Dudley stood there dazed for a moment as he glanced between the body on the floor and the bit of rubble in his hand, now sporting a streak of blood. The Death Eater was still. Had he killed the bastard?

Dudley decided that he didn't want to know. He refused to look down at them.

Another cry from the girl drew his attention away from the body. He looked up to see the girl still clutching her stomach as she slumped against the wall. Dudley dropped the rock and ran to her.

"Are you alright?" he asked, offering his hand out for support.

"Does it look like I'm okay?" she cried angrily, though she still took his hand. Dudley flushed, feeling embarrassed. Of course she wasn't okay.

"I think I need a Healer…" the girl whispered as her knees buckled. Dudley struggled to keep her up as she became a pile of dead weight. Dudley's mind immediately drifted to Eve; she would know what to do.

"I know someone that can help," The girl half-smiled at him weakly before stumbling again. "I've got you," Dudley assured her as she began to go pale. Dudley could tell she was losing consciousness. "What's your name?" Dudley asked her in an attempt to keep her awake.

"Katie…" she whispered. Dudley held her up, trying to think of a way to get the girl to safety. Suddenly, Katie let out another cry of pain - though this time her hands flew up to her ears, as though her head was on fire. Dudley was just about to ask her what was wrong when a high-pitch, chilling voice echoed through his ears. It was like someone was attacking his brain with a chisel and filling his mind with ice water

" _You've fought valiantly, but in vain_..." Dudley wanted to scream. He almost dropped Katie in surprise and fear. He heard other words, but they muddled through his mind. He couldn't seem to focus on everything that the voice was saying. He and magic never seemed to mesh well. He swore he heard the voice speak his cousin's name, but the words kept blending together.

Once the echoing voice stopped, Dudley was finally able to open his eyes. To his surprise, all fighting had ceased. He watched as the remaining Death Eaters in the area fly off in their inky black clouds. They were retreating. Dennis stood a few yards ahead of him. The blond-haired boy turned to face him, he had a few cuts and bruises, but seemed fine overall. He walked to the other side of Katie to help support her.

"Come on, let's get her to the great hall. That's our best bet to find someone to help her."

"What's going on?" Dudley asked as they slowly made their way further into the castle.

"They are retreating for now...and You-Know-Who claims that they'll stop for good if Harry Potter surrenders to him."

"Harry wouldn't do that, would he?"

"Let's hope not," Dennis said with an air of exhaustion as the two of them aided Katie to the Great Hall.

* * *

Eve struggled her way into Hogwarts. With each step she seemed more detached, more hardened to the world around her. The sights and sounds of war and death seemed to dull as they walked further into the castle. She knew she had to reel her emotions back; she could not afford to have them to control her...not while this battle continued.

Eve focused on trying to empty her mind of the mass of thoughts and fears running through her head as Luna led her by the hand into the Great Hall. Eve squeezed the girl's hand tighter as the cries of pain and death echoed through the massive space. All around her rows and rows of the injured and dead lay side by side on the floor. Eve caught sight of two people she recognized from her first meetings with the Order, the male looked older and more ragged while the female looked young and fiery. Her hair was a striking shade of turquoise. Eve ignored her own involuntary flinch. Tonks had been so nice to her. Both of them motionlessly laid next to each other, their hands outreached, like they had been holding hands just before they died.

Luna led her to an open gap in one of the rows of unmoving bodies and moved her wand to gently place Colin's body in the small space. Eve's hand unconsciously grabbed at Colin's wand in her black satchel as she was forced to look at his corpse again. She suppressed a shudder as she continued to stare at the young man. She couldn't look away. She felt herself being sucked back into that dark, emotional hole again. Just as she felt herself sinking, Luna tugged her arm slightly, pulling Eve back to reality.

"Come on," Luna whispered, "There are those living that still need you."

Eve stared at her dully for a moment before nodding. They needed to focus their energy on aiding those who could still be helped. She managed a small half-smile at the whimsical girl.

"I'll see what I can do," she said, clutching her satchel, her thoughts now focused on the various medicinal vials it contained. Luna returned the feeble smile before walking back out of the hall, presumably to help others still out in the war zone.

Eve found herself walking numbly down the rows of the dead and injured, in attempts to find someone she would be capable of helping. She didn't get very far when a familiar set of faces caught her eye. Seven redheads were surrounding a single body in a nearby aisle. Eve suddenly found herself approaching the group with increasing speed and her breath became trapped in her throat. She ran past a bespectacled dark-haired boy that was heading the opposite direction that she vaguely recognized. However, she did not stop to take a second look at him.

She stood there at the edge of the Weasley clan, trying to process what was happening. She immediately recognized the face of the lifeless Fred Weasley. Eve had never met this half of the twins before - and with a sinking realization - she realized she never would. She watched numbly as George clung to his twin in mourning as Molly and Arthur clung to each other.

"Eve?" A voice to her far left croaked. She turned to see Percy staring at her with tears in his eyes.

She found herself scrambling to get next to him. She embraced the friend, the man who had risked his life for months to protect them. It tore her apart to see him in such pain.

"It was all my fault that he's dead," he murmured into her shoulder as she continued to hold him. Eve didn't know what to say to Percy as he continued to sob in her arms. She feared that if she opened her mouth, she would start crying again. Luna was right; she had to be strong, not only for herself, but for those who were also consumed by grief. All she could do was hold onto her friend.

* * *

Transporting Katie to the Great Hall had been easy since the Death Eaters had retreated, finding her medical treatment was the difficult part. The Hall was lined with the dead and dying, the cries reverberated off the walls in a horrific manner. Dudley and Dennis were able to find Katie a place to rest that wasn't occupied by a corpse or another injured person.

"Eve is bound to be around here somewhere," Dudley reassured the girl. He turned to speak to Dennis, but the boy had already run off, presumably to find his brother. Katie let out another painful cry. Dudley jumped back to his feet. He needed to find Eve or someone that could help immediately. With another quick promise to the girl, Dudley ran further into the madness.

His eyes darted around the room in a panicked frenzy, he did not dare to stare at anyone who didn't match Eve's tall, lanky profile, for fear that he would become lost in the suffering of others. He searched for her fake blonde wig in the crowd.

It was not her blonde hair that had lead him to her, but the sea of redheads near the furthest corner of the Hall. Dudley recognized them as the Weasley family immediately, though he had only ever encountered a few of them. Their hair stood out like embers in the darkness. He rushed over to them, only to stop in his tracks as he got closer to entire family was huddled around a single point and although he could not distinguish their cries from the masses of others in the room, he could see their distraught expressions as they huddled together. At first, Dudley was hesitant to continue forward, knowing that he would be intruding on a private matter, but amongst the red hair, a single blonde individual sat near the edge as she held one of the Weasley's in her arms.

Dudley's mind suddenly kicked back into gear at the sight of Eve and Percy in mourning. His heart leaped with joy at the sight of his two friends alive. He wanted to shout with excitement, but no sound came out as he opened his mouth. He ran as fast as he could. He nearly tackled the two with an embrace when he reached them. The witch and wizard sat there stunned at the suddenly new source of human contact.

Eve gaped up at him while he hugged her. "Dudley….what….?!" She staggered in confusion.

"Sorry I broke my promise," Dudley said, "But there were other children still in the castle and I couldn't stay there knowing that they were trapped in here." Eve continued to stare at him in baffled surprise. "The other kids are still safe at the pub."

The Eve he knew normally would have shouted, punched him in the shoulder, or at least argued with him, but the girl in front of him just stared off into space.

"You're alive," she said quietly. "I guess that's all I can ask for in this madness," her unusually cool tone was chilling. Frankly, her lack of anger frightened him.

"Eve, there's a girl who needs you help," Dudley said suddenly, remembering that Katie was waiting for a Healer. Eve nodded sharply.

"Percy...are you okay?" he added, unable to see past the Weasley clan behind him.

"My brother Fred is dead, thanks for asking!" Percy snapped.

"I...I'm so sorry," Dudley whispered, unsure of what to say.

"Yeah? Well…" Percy started, but Eve cut him short.

"Don't take your anger out on him. Please Percy, no more...no more fighting," Eve croaked, her voice cracked unpleasantly. Even with all his rage, Percy seemed caught off guard by her reaction and backed off.

"Now, take me to this girl," she said, staring at him with determination. "Percy, now is the time to be with your family..." she added to the disheveled wizard behind her.

"I won't leave them. Not again," Percy struggled to say as they departed from the mourning family.

Dudley and Eve weaved through the crowds of people in mourning and the scattered dead bodies. Neither of them stopped as Dudley lead her to Katie. The girl had drastically paled in the few minutes that he had left her. Eve said nothing to introduce herself or comfort the girl before she knelt down beside her to inspect the wound. The only time Eve spoke was to ask the girl if she could lift her shirt. Dudley sheepishly looked away. After a couple minutes, Eve spoke again.

"This is a dark magic spell. It slowly turns the stomach acid more acidic. Acidic enough to start eating through the lining of the stomach. I think I have something that can keep it from getting any worse, but we need a fully stocked potions cabinet and some certified Healers to fix it completely...How good are you at handling pain?" She asked Katie.

Katie looked confused, but quickly answered. "I once fractured a bone my foot a few years ago and didn't visit Madam Pomfrey for an entire week because I didn't think there way anything seriously wrong with it, though it _hurt_."

Eve rolled her eyes. "Well, the pain isn't going to go away. Like I said, I can only stop it from progressing. If you can handle the pain you're feeling now until you can get better help, then I think you'll be okay. Now drink this." She demanded, holding out a vial of grayish liquid that Dudley did not recognize from her black bag. "It will taste horrible, but you have to drink it all. I suggest plugging your nose."

Katie did as she was instructed, though she looked like she was about to spit it out several times. Eve held her jaw closed until she swallowed it. When it finally went down, Katie made a disgusted face, but noticeably relaxed. It must have made an immediate effect.

"Thank you…" Katie whispered, looking absolutely exhausted. Within seconds, the girl had fallen asleep. Dudley raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"It's laced with a sleeping draught," Eve deadpanned. "Trust me, you don't want to take any type of dark magic combative while being conscious. Took me all of the fall season to create a potion that can put you into a dreamless sleep and still work against dark magic," she stood up and dusted herself off. "Well, I'm off to find others that could use my help."

"...What about Snape?" Dudley asked. He watched as his friend's expression darkened.

"I do not want to talk about it," she said darkly, turning away again.

"But Eve…" Dudley insisted. He knew her whole reason for coming to England, for joining the Order, was to take Snape out and clear her name. What had happened?

"I said to drop it, Dudley," Eve warned. This time she turned around and walked back up to him. "Just forget about that... Go get those kids that are still in the school and get them out of here. Can you keep _that_ promise for me?" she finished, her eyes narrowing.

"No. No, I can't," Dudley said, to Eve's apparent surprise. "Those kids are as safe as they can be at the moment and there is little I can do to help them anyways," He took a deep breath, "We have been in hiding for the better part of a year. They killed my father, they have destroyed our lives and the lives of countless others. I'm sick of hiding; I'm going to help in any way I can and I know I can assist you with with your potions."

"You have no way of defending yourself when the fighting begins again," Eve pointed out bitterly. When he mentioned that he had run out of capsules.

"I don't care if I have to keep defending myself with rocks. I am not leaving," he said with finality. Eve's eyes bore into his own and a chill ran down his spine.

"Do you always try to be this stupid?" Eve said with gritted teeth, though there was a faint spark in her eye when she said it. Dudley smiled. It was good to see that his friend was still there behind her cold mask.

"Well, I've never been known for my brains," Dudley said with a simple shrug.

This time the witch cracked the smallest of smiles. Yep, she was still the Eve he knew.

"C'mon. Let's see what we can do," Eve sighed in defeat.

Dudley gave her a grim smile and the two of them continued through the abyss.

* * *

A/N: Writing about war and death is tough when you have never experienced it firsthand. Though Harry Potter is obviously fiction, war is far from being a story. Hopefully I have been able to capture the emotions and turmoil of a battlefield without too dramatic or being disrespectful of those who have actually witnessed war.

Comments/thoughts are always appreciated and thank you for keeping up with this fanfiction!


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27: The End

The disheveled pair made their way through the throngs of the injured and dead. They stopped at various individuals, helping those they could with their dwindling potion supplies. Eve moved robotically - her voice was even and calm when she spoke to the people they were helping. Dudley followed her like a shadow as they moved. He had been holding onto several samples of their dwindling potion supplies as he trailed behind her. Eve would frequently stop at an injured student or adult and begin the process all over again. Dudley made himself in charge of comforting the wounded and dying, as Eve has seemed to have emotionally checked-out of crumbling halls of Hogwarts. Dudley never thought would ever be kneeling next to semi-conscious people in hopes of keeping them calm as Eve preformed whatever procedure needed to aid them. Before this entire "Wizarding War" thing, Dudley would have scoffed at the idea of being some sort of emotional support for complete strangers. Now, here he was, trying to sooth crying students, reassure shaken adults, and hold down the injured as Eve had to pour vile-tasting potions down their throats.

He had to force himself not to look, not to see the horrors unfolding around him. He found himself focusing on one person at a time. Every time something terrifying and new caught his eye, Eve would pull him along with surprising strength. Involuntary tears threatened to fill his eyes with each cry that echoed through the gigantic room. There was so much pain around him, he couldn't help but be affected by it. He kept moving though, so that it wouldn't completely consume him. He and Eve had become each others' rock, and they made it through several people - stabilizing their injuries and easing their pain. They were making steady progress.

That was until Eve stopped suddenly. Dudley ran into her, nearly knocking her over. Her fake curly hair bounced wildly on her head as she stumbled, Dudley had to grab her before she fell on her face. His friend made no sound as she continued to stare at the area in front of her. He glanced at the body that she had become transfixed on. The body of a male with blond hair, though the rest of his possible distinguishing features were covered in horrid burns. Even though the Great Hall was vast and filled with tons of other people Dudley could smell the pungent odor of burned flesh. Bile caught in his throat as he stared at the body.

They weren't the only ones staring at the dead boy.

Dudley had missed the figure at first, for they were crouched over, their black robes shrugged around them, giving them the appearance of a large black lump. Upon further inspection, Dudley could see a tuft of blond hair. The figure trembled slightly, and he was able to catch a glimpse of the person's face.

"Dennis?" Dudley croaked. The figure shook even harder. Dudley stared from the the boy to the dead body. He opened and closed his mouth several times, but nothing came out. Before he could think of anything to say, Eve fell to her knees next to Dennis. She stared at the body. Neither of them acknowledged the other for several moments. Dudley placed a hand on the witch's shoulder, but she brushed it away.

"Colin saved my life," Eve said aloud, her voice shaking slightly as she spoke. The young boy looked over to her, his reddened eyes wide as her stared at her.

"Bu -" Eve took a deep breath before continuing "But, I couldn't save him..." Eve made a sniffing sound like she was about to cry, but she she took another deep breath, remaining dry-eyed. She fumbled through her little black bag and pulled out a slender mahogany wand.

"He told me to give this to you," she said, handing the wand over to Dennis. The Gryffindor took the wand quickly, and held onto it tightly.

"What happened?" Dennis in a tone that was less of a question and more of a demand.

"Something about "'ire power.' I was unconscious when it happened, so I'm not sure exactly what transpired," That must have meant something to Dennis, because he weakly nodded. Silence followed.

Dudley watched as Eve blinked rapidly several times. She shook her head, stood up, and stared down at Colin's grief-stricken brother.

"He died a hero… I'm very, _truly_ sorry about your loss," she said, her voice full of emotion. Eve then walked away. Dudley was frozen with uncertainty. He did not know how to react to this encounter. Dudley stuttered out his condolences to Dennis, but the boy said nothing in return, nor attempted to acknowledge his presence. After quickly debating whether he should stay with the boy who had helped him try to save the Slytherins or follow his friend, Dudley ran after Eve.

Eve was several meters away, talking to a tall, matronly-looking woman in the midst of all the chaos. He could tell by the woman's dress that she was a healer, as she vaguely looked like an old fashion Muggle nurse. Eve flashed a small object at the witch, and the woman nodded in understanding, then the two of them were in deep discussion, Eve looked relieved to have had found a proper healer. Dudley rushed over to the pair, prepared to do whatever he could to help.

"...Do you have any Tissue-Rebuilding potions for the stomach? There is a girl near the Hall doors with a Stomach-Acid curse," He could hear Eve say as he approached. Dudley's thoughts rushed to Katie and he felt sorry for her.

The Healer gave the younger witch a horrific expression, as though what the girl had said was a death sentence.

"I was able to stop the curse from spreading any further. She should still be asleep at the moment, but not for long. Her stomach needs to be healed as soon as possible," Eve deadpanned, ignoring the woman's fear. The woman's expression changed from fear to something akin to pleasant surprise.

"Well, though you're no Healer, it's good to know that you have a strong knowledge of magical medicine," the witch said with a nod. "Take a right outside the doors to the stairs, and then two lefts to the infirmary," she handed Eve a small satchel. "This has a small Extension Charm on it. Fill it with as much supplies as you can; there should be some tissue-Rebuilding potions in there."

Eve nodded, quickly turning on her heel, bumping right into Dudley. She gave him an exasperated look and grabbed him by the sleeve. She pulled him forward and he obediently followed. Dudley glanced at the sleeping figure of Katie before they exited the Great Hall.

"An Ilvermorny ID. A focus in Potions studies is recorded on there. I had to give her some reason to trust me enough to handle potions and help with healing. Although it's actually Audrey's. She is... _was_ my friend," she explained as they hastened through the debris.

The second floor was strangely untouched compared to the the massacre downstairs. Dudley was once again glad that his vision had cleared earlier, for he was able to take in some of the beauty that was Hogwarts. The large halls were ornate and massive - he couldn't help but admire the intricate architecture and moving paintings around him as he followed Eve to the infirmary.

It didn't take them long to reach the medical ward, which was hauntingly empty despite the numerous injured on the floor below. Dudley stopped to take a breath while Eve ran into the closet of a room that must have served as an office of the Healer as well as a storage area for potions. She was already rummaging through the shelves of potions and healing equipment by the time he had made his way over to the office. Tossing things aside as she grabbed for a variety of healing balms and medicine, Eve muttered to herself. She stopped at an dark, reddish one and gently picked it up.

"Here, this one will help that girl…"

"Katie," Dudley reminded her as he took the vial from his friend.

"Katie," Eve repeated as she continued her rummaging. "Damn, this pouch doesn't have much of an Extension Charm. Start filling your pockets."

Dudley nodded and began shoving whatever he could into his pant pockets. He made quick judgements on what he should take, leaving things like Bruise Salve and various supplements that were not necessary for an emergency. With his pockets crammed with several vials and healing bandages, Dudley was satisfied with what he was able to carry.

Eve took several long and deep breaths with her eyes closed.

"I really don't want to go back down there," she quivered. For a second, her strong facade crumbled like the broken architecture below them. In that moment, she looked terrified and lost.

"I know," Dudley said, hugging the frightened woman. "Me neither," Eve stiffened slightly before burying her face into his shoulder

"We really should have made more Exploding Capsules," her muffled voice said into his shirt sleeve.

Dudley was just about to nod in agreement when that wicked, horrible voice returned. It made his eardrums ache, yet the sound seemed to be amplifying from inside of his mind. Unlike the first time the dark wizard had spoken, Dudley understood most of what the monstrous man was saying.

" _Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone. The battle is won… Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman, or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family…"_

The rest, of course was lost on him, but the violating ringing in his ear continued for longer. Whatever he was missing was being heard by Eve, who lurched tighter into his embrace. But Dudley didn't have to her every word to be filled with the revolting flavor of dread that had fallen into his stomach. Was it true? Could his cousin, could Harry...be dead? He may have never really known a lot about Harry, but he could hardly imagine him running away while people fought on his behalf. Harry had saved Dudley's life nearly two years ago, and Dudley had been nothing but an arse to him. He felt that the evil wizard was lying. If he was lying about is escape attempt, surely he was lying about his death.

"It has to be some sort of propaganda," Eve said like she was reading his mind. "He can't be dead. Fuck...he _can't_ be," Eve cried bitterly. The deeper meaning behind Harry's supposed death added a further weight in his gut. Harry was supposed to be the one to end this war, was all hope lost if he died.

"We have to find out the truth," Eve said suddenly, pushing herself out of his arms. She began sprinting back down they way they had come without glancing back to see if he was following her.

Dudley forced himself to move forward, though he was still tired from traveling up to the infirmary. Surprisingly, he was able to catch up to his friend. The pair of them stumbled down the stairs and onto the lower floor. They could see people rushing towards the front entrance of the castle with looks of confusion, fear, and disbelief. They followed the crowd down the hall towards the massive, open doors.

The throngs of people blocked a lot of Dudley's view as they made their way out of the entrance of Hogwarts. Amongst the heads and shoulders of the of the people in front of him, Dudley could make out the small sea of dark robes. They only thing that he did not have to crane his neck to see what the army of 20-foot-tall giants, and a (much smaller, yet still very large) lumbering man that he recognized from many years ago, who appeared to be carrying a much smaller figure.

"NO!"

The scream came from an old witch in emerald robes. The sound was ghastly and Dudley shivered. Her cries were followed by numerous echoing cries. Several people shouted, sobbed, and yelled out Harry's name. Dudley felt his knees buckle and Eve had become sickly pale. He watched his friend tremble with fear. The noise and the overwhelming dread began to weigh down on him. His cousin, _Harry_ was…

"Silence!"

The overwhelmingly disgusting voice that previously penetrated his mind, now shouted over the masses of was a flash and a large bang, and a chilling quiet filled the grounds, many had been magically silenced in mid-shout, their mouths gaping open, no sound escaping.

Dudley heard Voldemort as he celebrated his victory, making his cousin sound like a coward. He watched as Neville Longbottom valiantly stood against him, despite the the growing despair. He stared in horror at the body that the giant man had been forced to place on the ground.

He then had to watch as the evil wizard made an example of of Neville by summoning some old battered hat, used a spell to bind the boy to the ground, and setting both of them on fire. Everyone around him screamed, even Dudley found himself crying out in terror. They were all going to helplessly watch Longbottom burn alive.

Then many things happened at the same time.

A sudden uproar sounded from the the woods, followed by sounds that reminded Dudley of the herd of horses. In that same moment, a booming voice cried out. A lumbering giant rounded the side of Hogwarts. Voldemort's giants all charged at the smaller one, causing the earth beneath their feet to shake.

Everything was reduced to chaos. People were fleeing or fighting, before he could react, Eve had seized him by the back of the shirt and casted a bubble-like shield around them. She lead them back into the castle before they were flattened by the stampede of witches and wizards. They hid behind a hunk of broken rubble and watched some of the madness unfold.

Everything that Dudley had witnessed in Hogwarts up to this point had increased ten fold. Everyone was violent and reckless, people shouted and screamed in a horrific chorus. The fighting of the giants outside caused the entire building to shake. He could hardly see anything through the hefty clouds of smoke and dust aside from the shots of bright light that would randomly dart across the castle walls. Dudley was afraid.

The Death Eaters stormed through the the castle, advancing through the archways towards the Great Hall. Eve protected them both, even as a pair of Voldemort's supporters caught sight of them and approached him. Eve fell into a defensive position, ready to strike. However, their wands were not draw and they was frantically shouting a name, but it was hard to make out amongst the surrounding screams. He watched his friend hesitate, but she did not lower her wand. Through the dust and chaos, the man and woman must have mistaken either of them for someone else, for they stared at Eve's golden wig and Dudley's light-blond hair. He guessed they were looking for someone with the same colored hair as their own, as the pair of them had almost luminescent white-blond hair. Once the two unarmed Death Eaters were close enough to see them properly, the two gave them exasperated and weary looks. Eve glared at them, but this time she lowered her wand and gave the two a curt nod. The pair sighed in relief and continued on, shouting the same name as they passed.

"Looks like we're not the only ones who are sick of fighting," Eve mumbled. Dudley nodded in agreement.

They hid for a few more minutes. Dudley took the chance to catch his breath as Eve scoped out the scene from their place of concealment.

"We need to follow the masses," Eve said with a slight quiver in her voice.

"You want to head in the direction of _that_?!" Dudley groaned, his self-preservation now kicking in. They could (and probably would) die at the hands of the prevailing Death Eaters.

"They're heading towards the Great Hall," Eve continued. "We have to protect the injured that are already in there!" She suddenly looked very panicked at the realization of her own statement. Dudley felt his heart sink. Those who had taken shelter in that massive room were now sitting ducks in a losing battle. He would not be able to live with himself if he willingly left the scene knowing that there was dozens of people unable to save themselves; he may not have magic, but he did have his strength to aid him. He found himself agreeing with the witch's sentiments.

With a new purpose, they wove between shooting spells and debris towards the heart of the battling. If they could get the injured out of there, even if they could only save a few, Dudley would consider their new mission a success. He couldn't even fathom what they would do after saving those who needed their aid - would they even be able to escape the bloodshed?

Eve had a hold of his hand, leading them further into the destruction. He gripped it tightly, knowing that he depended on her to move them forward. The bubble-like shield that surrounded them was faint and seemed to flicker in and out of existence. He heard Eve curse hotly at the wand in her hand - which was shorter and of a rosier color than Eve's hawthorn one. It was obvious that the wand that she was currently wielding did not mix well with her. This worried him greatly; their only source of protection was weak at best.

They somehow managed to make it to the Great Hall relatively unnoticed. Eve's foreign wand miraculously held their shield in place, and they swept into the the room without much trouble. The Great Hall was another matter altogether. The second they entered the area, something hit Eve's magical shield with a penetrating force and the bubble around them burst. Dudley found himself tackling his friend to the ground as something large flew at them. Eve struggled underneath his weight, attempting to get back up, but Dudley forced her back down as another object flew overhead.

He glanced up to see a Death Eater using a levitation spell to hurl furniture and chunks of debris at them. The man's focus was on them, and he was now aiming his wand at them. Dudley closed his eyes, covering Eve's head with his arms. This was it. This was going to be the end. He waited for pain.

But it never came.

The shouting and other sounds of battle still echoed around them, but nothing attacked.

"Get up," a smooth, deep voice commanded. Dudley dared to open his eyes, only to gape at the the set of hooves inches away from his face. Eve said something in a harsh tone and jabbed him hard in the stomach with her elbow. He jumped to his feet in a mix of hazy confusion and pain.

"Dudley, what the f-" Eve seethed, through her voice trailed off when she saw the figure standing in front of them. A creature stood in front of them. From the torso and up, it looked like a man. His intense eyes stared at them, his human hands held a bow and arrow. The rest of his body was that of a horse, and its grey legs stood tall and proud. Dudley knew there was a proper name for the half-man half-horse, but he couldn't remember what it was. His eyes darted to behind the creature where he saw the Death Eater on the ground, and arrow protruding from his back.

"Thank you," Dudley stuttered, unsure of what else to say. He could see Eve trying to piece together the event that she had been unable to see. The horse-man nodded at Dudley, then _galloped_ off. Eve turned to him and gave him a look of immense relief and something else that made Dudley's heart skip a beat. She tightly gripped his hand and they wasted no time continuing on.

The first person they found was Katie, who had been the closest injured person to the doors. At some point the girl had woke up and had managed to sit up against the wall. Her wand was drawn, prepared to fight, even in her condition. Her free hand clutched her stomach.

"How on Earth are you awake?" Eve said with exasperation. "That potion should have knocked you out for hours."

"S'little noisy," Katie slurred, staring up at them with bloodshot eyes. She looked a bit dazed, confusion and fear were etched on her face.

"Well, we need to get you somewhere less _noisy,_ " Eve said dryly to the woman. Then, looking over her shoulder, she spoke to him. "I'll need you to carry her. I'm not strong enough to, and I'm afraid a levitation spell with this wand will drop her," Dudley nodded and stooped down to carefully pick the girl up. Just as Katie secured her arms around his neck, the room went silent. It was just a jarring change of atmosphere that Dudley almost dropped her.

Hogwarts students, teachers, aurors, and Death Eaters in the Great Hall all ceased fire. Everyone stared at the center of the of the room. Several gasps and a fews shouts could be heard as they gazed at the two figures in the spotlight. Voldemort stood enraged at Harry Potter.

His cousin, who he had last seen dead on the ground, now stood in front of the dark wizard, battered and bruised, but alive. He couldn't believe it; somehow, someway, his cousin had come back from the dead.

The exchange between Harry and Voldemort was spine-chilling. Harry mentioned something about Horcruxes and Voldemort taunted him about Dumbledore's death and love, and Harry had an answer that challenged everything he said. Very little made sense to him. Then his cousin mentioned Snape, and Dudley's ears perked.

" _Severus Snape wasn't yours," said Harry. "Snape was Dumbledore's, Dumbledore's from the moment you started hunting down my mother. And you never realized it, because of the thing you can't understand…"_

Dudley could hardly believe the words coming from Harry's mouth. His cousin mentioned Snape's patronus - how it was the same as his mother's - and how everything he did from that point on was as a double agent. To which Voldemort retaliated with the announcement that he had killed Snape. All of this information was too much to take in and Dudley's breath caught in his throat. Katie continued clinging to him, her weight began to cause a deep ache in his arms.

Beside him, Eve made a strangled noise. He couldn't tell if it would have been a cry or a scream, but it probably would have been an awful sound. She looked absolutely distraught. He couldn't imagine what was going through her mind. If it were all true, every reason she had come to England - to face her father - had been for naught. He wanted to hold her, to comfort his closest friend in her time of need, but he physically could not.

Then their wands were drawn. Dudley found himself closing his eyes; he didn't want to see his cousin die again. They both shouted a spell. There was a thud, followed by dead silence

Then the entire room was in an uproar. Dudley fearfully opened his eyes. He saw people swarming towards his cousin, who was still standing. The body of Voldemort lay on the ground, unmoving. The crowd wasn't shouting...they were cheering. Even Katie let out a tiny 'whoop' of victory, tears rolling down her smiling face. Dudley couldn't help but laugh with relief. All of the madness that lead up to that point had ended in seconds. The most feared wizard of the century had been defeated by a seventeen year old.

Eve took a deep breath and let out a long sigh.

"You can put her back down," Eve said as she turned to him, and she flashed him one of her beautiful smiles. "We can heal here right here."

Dudley wanted to rush over to his cousin in excitement as many others were doing, but he dutifully stayed by Eve's side as she administered a potion to heal the lining of the Katie's stomach from the bag that the school's healer had given her.

"Now it will probably take a hour or so for the stabbing pain to subside, and probably several days for your stomach to stop hurting altogether, but I believe you're going to be okay," she said to the young witch with another wide smile. Katie thanked her several times as Eve stood back up. Dudley went to stand back up a well, but he suddenly felt drained of energy. Eve noticed him struggle as his adrenaline wore off.

"Why don't you stay here with Katie? Take a break for a few minutes."

Dudley narrowed his eyes at her suggestion and scoffed. Eve returned his glare with equal scorn.

"Trust me, you'll need a second wind. We have got our work cut out for us," she said, spreading her arms. Several people behind her had slowed down, many had begun sitting down at the four tables, and many appeared to have minor injuries. He hoped that more than just Eve and the school's Healer knew basic first aid.

"What about you?" Dudley asked with an air of defiance.

"I have to keep moving," she deadpanned "I'll let you know if I need any help," He was going to argue further, but Eve was already power-walking back into the crowds of people. Realizing he was too exhausted to follow her, Dudley sighed in defeat and sat down next to Katie. He just needed a few minutes to collect himself.

"You're girlfriend is so strange," Katie yawned, closing her eyes.

"She's not my -" Dudley started, but Katie already appeared to have fallen asleep. With another sigh, he stared out the partially broken glass windows. The rising sun was flooding the Hall with a soft and warming glow. Dudley had never recalled seeing a sunrise before, but he decided that it was one of the most brilliant things he had ever seen. He closed his eyes; once he regained some of his strength, he would help Eve and find Percy and Dedalus to make sure they were okay. Maybe he'd even find Harry and surprise him.

Dudley yawned and closed his eyes.

He had made it through the war.

* * *

A/N: This chapter may be titled "The End," but I've got one more chapter (The Aftermath) and an epilogue to write! I might even add a chapter of "snippets": little blurbs that add to the story and characters, but did not fit into the story or the epilogue. I thank you all for sticking with my story, I'd love to hear your thoughts! If you have any suggestions for what you might like to see in the epilogue - I'm still in the process of deciding which direction I would like to take it- so I may take your thoughts into consideration when I write it out!


	28. Chapter 28

A/N: For those of us still reeling from the U.S elections...hopefully another chapter will add a smidgen of something good in your day.

* * *

Chapter 28: The Aftermath

Eve had to keep moving. She absolutely had to keep moving.

Voldemort may have perished, but the nineteen year old witch was filled with dread. She heard what Harry Potter had said about Severus Snape, and she wanted his words to be nothing but lies. She couldn't handle the idea that her father had been betraying Voldemort for years; she had been running a fool's errand. She had been hunting down her own flesh and blood because of a thought-out con that had fooled the world. And now that man was dead - they had brought in the body a few hours ago - and she would never get the chance to talk to him again.

Eve had seen the body, but avoided going near it. Just like she avoided thinking about when she had awoke from unconsciousness earlier that night. She tried to avoid the fact that she had woke up safely nestled between the hedges and the greenhouse, and the fact that the shimmering light that she had caught a glimpse of had been the remains of a well-placed shielding spell. She had to avoid it all, otherwise she would collapse under the weight.

She went from table to table, fixing broken bones, healing cuts, and clotting wounds. She saw Percy with his family, and even counted them to make sure they hadn't lost any more family members. She found Dedalus's body amongst the dead, and ultimately decided not to tell Dudley right away, as he was still asleep next to Katie. She avoided the small wizard's body as well, knowing that she would fall apart if she acknowledged her friend's death right now.

She had been healing the injured to keep busy. Madam Pomfrey was happy to have some help for the first hour or two, and Eve had plenty of things to do to help. By mid morning, Healer's from Saint Mungo's Hospital had arrived, taking the critically injured and dead out of the school, while a couple of them remained behind to assist the rest of the injured. Pomfrey had told her to get some rest at that point, now that the professionals had arrived. Eve was now wandering the Great Hall, looking for something, anything to distract her. Dread built up in her stomach as everything that had transpired began to catch up to her. She was about to collapse onto the stone floors when she saw her saving grace.

A group of three sat near the edge of the hall, looking tired and confused. Everyone around them ignored them, even the Healer's had neglected treating their minor injuries. She recognized the man and woman was the Death Eater couple that had had no intention of fighting when they crossed third person appeared to be their son, for his hair was the same white-blond color as his parents. They seemed like an out of place set, most of the Death Eater's had fled after Voldemort's defeat, or were dead. That didn't matter to Eve at the moment, right now she was focused on the man's bleeding leg. She hesitated helping them for a moment, but she shook that feeling off; it was a Healer's job to give aid to those in need, regardless of their moral differences, right?. This sentiment seemed to be just as neglected by the Healer's as the family in front of her. They needed medical assistance, and the were the distraction that she desperately needed.

She cautiously approached the family until she was standing right next to them. They did not notice her, even as she stared them down.

"Excuse me," she said, cutting into the silence. The family jolted back in surprise.

"You're leg is bleeding pretty badly," Eve said stiffly. "the wound needs to be bandaged properly or it could become infected,"

"Yes...right," the man said dully, staring down at his leg as if he just realizing that it was injured. His matted, blond hair hung in his face as he spoke.

"I have the proper potions and some bandages. Would you like some assistance?" She spoke almost robotically, too wary to be anything but properly polite. The man looked at his wife and she gave him a small nod.

"That would be appreciated, thank you," he answered in an equally formal tone, though his voice cracked slightly.

With the same robotic sentiment, Eve got to work cleaning and dressing his wound. She did not smile, nor did she engage in small-talk. She worked worked quietly and at a steady pace. The man stared straight ahead at the grey wall in front of him, not paying her much attention as she worked on his wound. His wife, however, was studying her closely. She could feel the woman's icy-blue eyes focused on her. Eve's hands began to shake slightly, the woman's staring was making her nervous. She suddenly regretted her decision in approaching the family. But if the woman did recognize her, she did not say so.

Eve awkwardly picked up the fallen bandage, magically cleaned it, then finished wrapping it. She did not even say goodbye to the family, she just got up and continued walking. She almost made it past them when the woman grabbed her by her sleeve.

"Thank you, Miss?" the woman said, this time her cold blue eyes shimmered with tears. The witch seemed to be taking in Eve's distinguishing features. At this point, Eve knew that her family ties had been recognized. But aside from her expression, the woman did not react in any way that would have draw attention.

"A-" Eve almost gave her the name Audrey, like she had the school's Healer, but she thought better of it knowing that there was little point in lying anymore. "Eve," she said finally. "And you're welcome." The woman gave her the faintest of smiles, and gently let go of her robes. There seemed to be a mutual agreement between them that nothing would come of this interaction. With that in mind, Eve continued on as she tried to swallow her overpowering fear.

Upon closer inspection, she noticed a few more of former Death Eaters in that same area. Most of them were only about her age and looked scared, and none of them were wearing their masks anymore. None of them looked severely injured, but made a point to visit with every one of them just to make sure. When they did agree to some assistance, Eve made an extra effort not to show much of her face, letting the blonde wig hide her most distinguishing features. She had no further issues with being recognized.

Eve was just about to finish healing a cursed bruise on one young man's cheek when a smooth, rich voice spoke from behind her.

"Miss Peters?"

Eve jumped at the sound, nearly smacking the man she was aiding in the face. She looked behind her, her eyes wide with surprise. She quickly relaxed when she saw that the voice belonged to the familiar face of Kingsley Shacklebolt. Despite everything that had transpired in the past several hours, the large man stood tall and proud as a true figure of authority.

"Madam Pomfrey informed be that there was a young American woman by the name of Audrey, assisting her earlier this morning. I assume that would be you?"

"Yes, sir."

"I'm relieved that you're here, despite that this place is the furthest thing from your original assignment. We thought you all had had been captured or had perished with Hestia Jones and Vernon Dursley," Though his sharp features remained stern, Eve saw a flash of respite in his eyes. "Where were you?"

"I escaped outside the Apparition wards with Dedalus, Dudley, and Petunia Dursley. We landed in the home of Percy Weasley. Making contact with the Order proved to be too dangerous in the location we were in." Eve was going to elaborate more, but Kingsley politely held up a hand to stop her.

"I'm sure you can discuss the details to me later, there are plenty of other things to attend to at the moment," he said curtly. "I assume that Dedalus Diggle is here as well?"

An awkward gurgling sound escaped her throat as she pointed towards the direction where the Saint Mungo's Healers were removing the deceased. Kingsley suddenly looked very old and tired when she gestured to the macabre scene behind him. He let out a defeated sigh.

"And I assume the the remaining Dursley's are safe?"

"Yes," Eve confirmed, "Petunia Dursley is in Percy Weasley's apartment and Dudley...Well he's asleep over there," she continued sheepishly. Kingsley gave her a bewildered look. Eve just shrugged helplessly. Like everything else, she would have to explain it to him later. He glanced over at the young man's sleeping figure, his eyebrows still raised in surprise.

"Well," he said, recovering quickly. "I hope you are nearly finished aiding Mr. Flint, but I do need to arrest him now,"

"Just give me a few more seconds," Eve replied, "I need to finish healing his bruise, then he'll have a clean bill of health to leave," Kingsley nodded in agreement. From around his shoulder, Eve could see the blond family being arrested by two young aurors hardly older than herself. She figured that the more experienced ones were taking care of more dangerous things, like rounding up the dementors that were floating around the grounds. The family calmly went without a word. However, the young man she was tending to looked absolutely terrified.

She almost felt sorry for the guy; she wanted to say something meaningful or to commend him for staying behind and to go quietly with the aurors. But, something in her kept her from voicing these thoughts out loud. When his bruise had healed completely, Eve gave him an encouraging nod. With shaky knees, the man stood up. He handed his wand to the nearest auror without a fuss and he was civilly escorted out of the Hall.

"By the way," Kingsley whispered before turning to follow the other aurors out. "You really should have put more effort into your disguise - your cheeks and eyebrows are a dead giveaway,"

Eve bit her lip to prevent herself from saying something scathing or sarcastic. She had little to work with, and a glamour charm would have faded the moment she lost focus on it. She was very well aware of her shoddy disguise. She forced a nod and the the man walked away with the promise that sometime soon they would be due for a long conversation.

By this point, Eve was exhausted and she had to force herself up from the long table. No longer with a set goal - as the last of her distractions had been taken away from her - Eve stumbled out of the Great Hall in an attempt to escape the dead bodies that were still be removed from its interior.

Eve struggled down the massive corridors trying not to think, trying not to feel. Her focus was so directed on her internal struggles that she ended up stepping on someone.

"Ouch," the whimsical voice groaned. Eve snapped back to reality, only to realize that she had just stomped onto the familiar witch's leg. The girl's eyes opened in surprise. She had been sleeping there.

"Oh! I'm sorry Luna…" Eve trailed, her voice dying out.

"You look tired."

It was such a simple statement, yet it resonated within her. She apparently looked as exhausted as she felt. The pale girl looked up at her with soft smile. She patted the dirty ground beside her, as though sitting in the middle of a crumbling castle was commonplace. With little else to do, Eve found herself flopping down next to the strange girl. They sat in silence for for several minutes. Eve stared straight ahead at the remains of some type of statue. She wondered what it had once been. Luna sat still, but she did not fall back asleep.

"Was what he said true?" The words tumbled out of Eve's mouth before she had even registered what she had been thinking about. Luna turned to her, looking at her with the same, unsettling stare that she had when they first met.

"Harry wouldn't lie about something like that," Luna responded without needing clarification.

It was strange that Eve almost couldn't believe the words of the famous Boy-Who-Lived, but that somehow she fully trusted the confirmation that the odd girl had provided. Maybe it was because the girl was so perceptive, or perhaps it was because Luna was sounded so sure of herself. Either way, Eve's emotions hit her suddenly like a brutal wave.

All of her failures came crashing down on her: leaving her mother, running of to find the Order, Vernon Dursley's death, Hestia, Dedalus, Colin...all to hunt down a man that had really been working against Voldemort for nearly two decades. She had hunted him, and he had saved her life, and now she would never be able to thank him. Eve hugged her legs tightly, buried her face into her knees, and wept. She felt Luna's hand rub her back and pull closer to her in an odd half-embrace. This time, Luna did not stop her tears. This time, she was allowed to crumble.

Dudley had always been a heavy sleeper, so he wasn't surprised that he had been completely unconscious the entire morning and well into the afternoon despite the hustle and bustle happening around him.

So Dudley found himself jolting awake from the intense pain shooting through his leg.

"Oh, so you did manage to survive. I assumed they just forgot to take your corpse out of here...Well, I guess if any Muggle were to make it through a magical battle, it would be an insane one, such as yourself."

Dudley looked up from the Mary Jane's that had kicked him to see the smug face of Daphne Greengrass. He suddenly remembered the group of Slytherins that had taken shelter in the nearby bathrooms.

"Is...err...everyone okay?" he asked with embarrassment.

"Yes, everyone is fine. Thank you for remembering," she answered with a biting tone. Dudley felt his face flush. He waiting for her to rip into him further, but she did not.

"Well?" Daphne asked after several seconds of silence, "Are you going to just sit around the rest of the day like a bump on a log?" Dudley glanced around him, and several people had moved from their previous places around him, even Katie had left his side at one point. Dudley groaned as he tried to get up, his muscles still ached from running around so much earlier. He was surprised that the Slytherin girl had given him her hands to help him up. He gratefully took them, and with a little effort he was back on his feet.

"Oh, and I'm sure you're also worried about the children you left behind in Hogshead. They're all in one piece, but I'm sure Aberforth Dumbledore wants your head on a plate. He put up such a stink when he realized you had left," she said bluntly. Dudley felt like sinking back into the ground. Okay, so his earlier actions were not necessarily the greatest...Dudley felt a twinge of regret and a little fear. He did not want to get on the barkeeper's bad side.

"Oh, don't worry," Daphne whispered, "I told him that you're Gryffindor-like pigheadedness drove you to come save us in the castle...even though we both know you're more of a dopey Hufflepuff. So, Aberforth won't be killing you in your sleep - and now we're both even. You saved my life and I saved yours. Our business is complete." She gave him another scathing look, not unlike the face she had made when they first met, though this time the scowl did not reach her eyes. Dudley just rolled his eyes as she walked away. Were all young witches that sarcastic?

Suddenly remembering his own sarcastic witch, Dudley looked around for Eve, but she was nowhere in sight. In fact, the Hall was mostly empty right now. The dead and injured must have been moved while he was sleeping. He wondered if Eve was upstairs, still aiding the school's Healer. It was as good of a place to look as any.

"Dudley?!"

The voice was very familiar, but not Eve's. This voice was masculine and a bit hoarse. Dudley turned to see a pair of vivid green eyes staring at him with utter confusion. The expression on the young man's face was so comical that Dudley couldn't help but smile.

"Wha - what are you doing here?"

That was a fair question, but what do you say to the guy that just defeated the most feared wizard in Britain? Harry Potter may have been his cousin, but he was now something that legends were made of.

"It's a _really_ long story, but I've never been good with explaining stuff. Eve could tell it much better…" he trailed off. Remembering Eve for a second time, Dudley suddenly feared for the state that that she was probably in. Without any more thought, he blurted the first thing that came to his mind.

"Was everything you said about Snape true?"

Dudley did not think it was possible for his cousin to look more bewildered than he already did, but Harry proved him wrong.

"Yeah, but… why should...how…?" his cousin seemed unable to process what to say next.

"Sorry Harry, but I've really got to find my friend," Dudley said, cutting him off. " I have to make sure she's alright," He began running towards the Hall doors.

"Dudley, wait!" he heard his cousin shout from behind him. Dudley scurried out into the large hallway trying to remember where the staircase that lead to the medical ward had been. He jumped over bits of rubble and weaved between the broken columns and statues.

"We're over here," a light, airy voice called out. Just down the hallway, a girl with light blonde hair waved at him. Her tiny features were just as wisp-like as her voice. She sat amongst the debris, a larger figure with dark hair appeared half asleep on her shoulder. He recognized that raven hair anywhere.

Whether the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes barrette had stopped functioning or whether it had been removed, he couldn't tell, nor did he care. He was just happy to see her. She looked tired and her eyes were bloodshot and red.

"Eve?"

His friend looked up at him with a twitch of a smile. With shaky knees, she stood up and Dudley wasted no time in giving her a tight hug. They stayed that way for several moments before Eve drew back. She must have just noticed her appearance, for she pulled at a strand of her hair in surprise.

"My barrette…Luna!" she huffed, patting the back of her head. Dudley saw the whimsical girl smile as she played with the pink chunk of plastic between her fingers.

"It's okay, you look much better with dark hair anyways," he reassured her. This time Eve smiled - one of her large, captivating grins - and snorted with laughter. The pair of them laughed for a few seconds before Eve became silent. She stared, unblinking, over his shoulder. Dudley turned to see that his cousin had actually followed him. Harry Potter's eyes darted back and forth between him and Eve in a mix of awe and confusion. Dudley wished he had a camera.

"Do you want to tell him?" she asked, biting her lip.

"Well, I did tell him you were much better with stories…"

Eve made a face.

"Only if you tell it with me."

* * *

A/N:Well, this is the end...

This isn't the end! I have a 2-part epilogue coming up! The first will be a bunch of timeline mini stories of what happens between May 1998 and the final epilogue (which takes place 21 years later.) I hope you've liked my canon-based story! Write on fellow writers!


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: Think of this like Epilogue Part One...snapshots of moments after the last chapter to create a more in-depth ending. I was peeve that Rowling's epilogue just jumped to 19 years later; I had so many questions…

This is also the longest chapter I have ever posted...mainly because there was far more to Eve and Dudley's story than I originally planned to have. I just kind of sat in front of my computer and typed what came to me, so the style may vary from my usual writing and vary from section to section. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 29: An Epilogue in Snapshots

 **May 2nd, 1998**

Once they were done retelling their story - stopping many times to collect themselves - Harry Potter still stared at them in utter disbelief. Overall, he seemed less responsive than she had expected, but everyone processed things differently. He was probably in a state of shock. Eve tried her best to ignore his gaze, things had gotten…awkward during their conversation. Her very existence was a curveball to the young man.

"We'll need to go back to Percy's place," she said, looking at her cracked watch. "It's almost midnight, and I'm sure your mother is waiting to murder me when we get back," she added, glancing over at Dudley. She needed an excuse to get out of the castle, even one that would get her killed by Petunia Dursley.

"Wait!" Harry said suddenly as they were preparing to leave. "There's something I think you should see," he told Eve. From the look in his eyes, she could tell it was important. A little suspicious, but filled with curiosity, Eve decided to accompany the hero. She did draw her wand though, just incase.

Harry and Eve disappeared down the hallway, Dudley had not been invited. He seemed to understand this unspoken rejection and instead stayed behind with Luna. She followed Potter through the winding halls. They stopped at a partially destroyed gargoyle statue that feebly guarded a small winding staircase. Silently, Harry Potter lead her up the set of stairs.

The staircase lead them to a beautiful office filled with interesting artifacts and well-designed decor. This room was untouched during the war, it looked so serene. There were dozens of paintings covering the walls. Each painting had a single figure in them, and all of them were abuzz with loud whispers as they entered.

"This was Dumbledore's office. Err...Snape's office too," the young man stumbled over his words a little. This was followed by an uncomfortable silence.

"Why did you take me here?" Eve asked bluntly, growing impatient. She just wanted to get back to Dudley and go home.

"I wanted to show you some memories," Harry said, gesturing towards the large saucer object at the other end of the room. Eve recognized it to be a Pensieve - an object for storing memories - though she had never encountered one.

"Your memories?" she asked as she followed him over to the bowl. Harry just shook his head.

"Just watch."

Eve followed his gaze into the the Pensieve and was drawn in. She saw every one of Severus Snape's memories; from his childhood years to the recent events. Even after they were drawn out of the Pensieve, Eve continued to stare at the foggy liquid. This was a close as she was ever going to get to knowing her father. She wished that there had been more.

Severus Snape had really loved Lily Potter; it had been his real drive throughout the wars. Eve's mind wandered to her mother's story of the the distraught man at the bar. He had been upset that the woman he loved was marrying another man. She wondered what had ran through his mind when he had met her, but that memory was not in the bowl.

"Thank you," she finally managed. Eve supposed that she would have cried if she hadn't earlier. She was too tired to cry at this point, but she was still a bit shaky. Harry seemed to understand she lack of a reaction and offered her an encouraging nod.

Eve was in a stoic mood when she returned to the hallway where Dudley and Luna sat, awaiting their arrival. Without much conversation, Eve and Dudley hurried off the grounds to apparate back to Percy's apartment. When Dudley asked Eve what she had seen, Eve remained tight-lipped, only responding with:

"Pensieve memories."

When Dudley asked what that meant, she gave him a noncommittal shrug. There were some things she didn't have to share.

* * *

 **May 3rd, 1998**

Through fighting trolls and Death Eaters, seeing his cousin come back from the dead to fight a dark wizard, and later discovering Dedalus' death, Dudley had somehow managed to survive it all. He had made it out of a warzone.

Though nothing that happened at the battle of Hogwarts had come even close to the rage that Petunia Dursley had for the lot of them when they arrived back at Percy's apartment. He almost died from her death glares and smothering hugs.

* * *

 **May 12th, 1998**

They had been to so many funerals in the past few days.

Dedalus. Fred. Colin. The general memorial that had taken place. They had been each one, and each one added another weight of sadness, of loss. No one but Eve knew that he had cried before each one.

Severus Snape's funeral was different.

Eve hadn't even wanted to attend, but Dudley had forced her to go. He knew she would eventually regret it if she didn't.

It was held at Hogwarts, like many of the others had been. They sat near the back, ignoring the looks and whispers that had been following them since the end of the war. Everyone knew about Severus Snape's long-lost child and the Muggle cousin of Harry Potter. They had become enigmas in the wizarding world. Other that the odd looks, they were mostly avoided by everyone. The press had been all over them last week, but then Harry had stepped in and the harassment had stopped.

Because of this, they sat alone at the end of a row. Well, not completely alone, because Luna was with them. Luna was one of the strangest people he had ever met, but also one of the kindest. She talked about weird creatures that no one else could see, and had the uncanny ability to make others uncomfortable with her accurate observations, and she had decided to be by their side at every funeral thus far, for whatever reason. Despite her odd personality, she was lovely, so he wasn't really bothered by her. She sat on the other side of Eve, humming quietly before the service started.

When the funeral began, Eve remained expressionless and unmoving. Minerva McGonagall gave the introductory speech and Eve had hardly even blinked. It wasn't until Harry had decided to speak that Eve provided some sort of reaction.

"...Severus Snape was a brave man. He had to be, in order to help bring down Voldemort as a spy. He did it all because of love. His patronus was proof of that. We couldn't have won this war without him."

There was a sudden burst of white light - Harry had cast his own patronus. Dudley had seen the stag once before, when it saved him from the dementors. It was just as brilliant now as it had been then.

Like a strange domino effect, several people slowly stood up, casting their own spells. Dozens of silver animals floated or danced around them, even Luna had produced a rabbit that hopped around in the grass besides them. Luna gave Eve a nudge and whispered something in her ear. With gritted teeth, his friend stood up. She had stared down at the wand in her hand - her new ebony wand from Ollivanders - with a strained expression. After a few deep breaths she waved it.

After seeing Eve fail the spell so many times, it had been incredible to watch her new success. Instead of a shapeless mass, a small creature shot out. It flew overhead and circled above them.

"You know," Luna chimed. "Professor Snape was called 'the bat of the dungeons'."

"Funny," Eve replied dryly. "Because the memory I used had nothing to do with him." She looked straight at Dudley when she said this and her face turned a blotchy red. Dudley's mind returned to that day out in the snow; a moment that felt like a million years ago. He felt his own face heat up. Embarrassed, he had chosen to continue staring at the bat that gracefully flew above them.

* * *

 **May 28th 1998**

"Severus Snape had nothing written in his will, other than that all of his material possession within Hogwarts be discarded, or donated to the school. Everything else is left unaccounted for, so it's either surrendered to the Ministry, or it is given to the next of kin. Now, his home and bank account would have gone to Draco Malfoy, his godchild, but children take priority unless otherwise stated."

The frail, bespectacled man stared up at Eve with an expectant air. The Ministry worker in charge of Severus Snape's will had knocked on Percy Weasley's door at nine in the morning, wanting to speak to her. Minutes later, she sat with him in the study - in a pair of Percy's pajamas and her hair a complete mess. Luckley, Petunia had returned to her home on Privet Drive. Unfortunately, this meant Dudley had gone too, and Percy was staying with his family at the Burrow. Surprisingly, she had been invited to stay with them, but she politely declined and instead offered to house-sit Percy's apartment. It hadn't been too lonely, really. She had had plenty of books to read there and Luna stopped by nearly everyday, whether Eve had wanted the company or not.

"Then why don't you just give it to him? I'm sure Mr. Malfoy actually knew the man," Eve deadpanned, she couldn't help but feel irritated. She had not felt like she was entitled to Severus Snape's possessions, even if he happened to be her father.

"Ah, well, you see, because of the _unusual_ circumstances of this situation. Draco Malfoy was already notified of the change, in case he were to take the issue to court. However, Mr. Malfoy has stated that he has no interest in 1960 Spinner's End or Mr. Snape's monetary affairs. He said that he firmly believes that the bloodline comes first."

Eve stared blankly at the man in front of her. Her mind had become a void; she had no idea how to react. Mr. Quincy (or was his name Quentin?) looked up at her and put down his quill.

"So...err… now what?" Eve asked, she felt like a simple-minded child.

"Well Miss Peters," he said with a friendly smile, as though he had often been used to hearing stupid questions. "With a few signatures and a few day for our workers to sweep the house for dangerous artifacts, the house on Spinner's End is yours...along with his Gringotts account, of course."

Eve just nodded dumbly at the man. The money had been an unexpected, but pleasant surprise.

But what on earth was she going to do with a house?

* * *

 **June 1st, 1998**

Dudley met Ms. Renee Peters at the London Airport. It had nearly been a month since he had seen Eve, and the first contact she had made with him since they said goodbye had been her begging for him to come with her to the airport to face her mother. Though miffed that this had been their first conversation since early May, he readily agreed to go. They were friends after all.

Dudley learned a few things after only an hour after of meeting Renee Peters.

One: If Eve hadn't walked out to the woman that was hastening out of the terminal, Dudley would have never guessed that the two were related. While Eve was tall and pale, her mother was short and slightly tan. Her raven-haired daughter towered nearly a foot over the strawberry-blonde mop hair that her mother had. Every feature - perhaps other than their button nose - was completely different. It was not until later, when he saw Renee smile, that he noticed that they had one very striking similarity.

Two: Renee Peters was an odd duck. Almost as strange as Luna Lovegood. She wore a weird peasant skirt and a poofy blouse, each a bright and unsightly color. Renee was an Archaeology professor at a state college. It had taken Eve a long time to get in contact with her mother, even after the war, because her mother's idea of going into hiding had been to go on an archaeological dig in Egypt.

"Well, once I realized there was nothing I could do to find Eve in the magical world. I figured I'd at least have some fun, so I left the country. I left no forwarding address, so I did exactly what what was asked of me in my daughter's letter. But, there was no way in hell that I was going to hide in someplace hideously boring," Renee had responded when explaining where she had been and why.

Like Luna, Renee was also odd in a good way. He found her incredibly interesting. Her knowledge of history seemed endless, and she was one for entertaining anecdotes. Dudley's mother would absolutely hate her, and that thought made him laugh.

Three: Renee did have one thing in common with his mother. Renee could probably match Petunia in rage-induced fury, if not trump her. Perhaps it was just a mother thing.

Four: Eve's full name was Evangeline Ryan Peters, which was announced during Renee's angry rant... At the airport... In front of everyone. Dudley was pretty sure at all who had been in Terminal 7 now knew Eve's full name.

Dudley called her Evangeline at every chance he got in the following weeks... until she threatened to bury him alive, so he stopped. He knew she hated the name, but he also thought it was pretty.

* * *

 **October 15th, 1998**

When Eve had first laid eyes on 1960 Spinner's End, she had absolutely no intention of living there. The house was old and in a decaying mill town where the plant had shut down. None of the appliances had been updated since the 70's and everything was coated in a thick layer of dust. It was also very devoid of magic, the only thing that stuck out was the small potions lab in the basement, other than that, it was just an old and boring house. Many of the neighboring homes were for sale on the cold, desolate street. Her goal had been to clean it out and then sell it as is, and get whatever money she could for it. She had nearly been ready to put the "For Sale" sign up when she noticed the other sale signs were disappearing.

Upon further inspection, she discovered that a new textile plant had opened in the old mill factory, and the nearby homes were becoming filled with the newly-hired workers. Her first thought was that she would be able to make more money from the sale, now that this area had become desirable again. She would have been able to fix it up and get a lot more for it. But if she did, then what?

Eve had not been ready to return to her previous home in America. She had not been ready to face her friends that she had grown up with. She'd felt like a coward, but she had just become too tired, too emotionally drained that she didn't think she could mentally or physically handle more drama.

In fact, she did not have much desire to hang out it Britain's wizarding community. The Ministry of Magic was still recovering, and though Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt had managed to keep almost everything still functioning, it still needed time to heal and progress. Eve needed time to heal too, even if that meant spending time away from the magical world to do it.

So, on a whim, Eve used a large portion of her father's money to update the house; from rotting boards, to new kitchen appliances, everything was repaired and updated to the latest decade. She then applied for a job at the new textile plant, and that was that.

* * *

 **June 7th,1999**

Dudley didn't know exactly when he and Eve officially started dating, but he had to guess it was when he moved in with her. Despite his mum's anger, he had gotten a job at the new plant in Cokeworth and choose to move to Spinner's End with Eve. He felt that there had been no use in buying another house, especially when he had no intention of living there forever.

They spent everyday with each other after work and on the weekends. They went on dates to the nearby cinema or went on together on long walks through an open field that appeared to have once been a park. Simple things like that, but it made them happy.

Dudley had been living with Eve for six months. Both worked at the plant doing less than exciting work, but it provided a sense of stability and routine. The entire time he had been there, his girlfriend had never brought out or used her wand. Dudley found himself actually missing magic within a few months. Upon questioning, Eve told him that in another year or so she would probably be returning to the magical world.

"You can keep the house if you'd like," she had said sheepishly over the sound of her CD player playing a Spice Girl's song. Dudley was insulted by the suggestion.

"I'm going with you… If you want me to, that is," Dudley snapped. It was the truth, he was willing to follow her anywhere, even if she did listen to shitty music.

* * *

 **November 24th, 2000**

True to her word, Eve had the itch to return to the world of magic at the beginning of the new year. The Ministry had rebuilt significantly since the war ended and Eve reckoned that then was a good of time as any.

"It is a new century after all," she had said with a shrug. Dudley had agreed.

They moved into a Muggle London flat, not far from where Percy lived. He sure had been surprised when they knocked on his door after over two years of having no contact with him. Dudley had feared that he would be angry with them, but he seemed more relieved than upset. In lieu everything, all had been forgiven.

Eve had been able to get a job as a brewer at Slug and Jiggers Apothecary in Diagon Alley, despite her magical hiatus. Dudley had found a job in Muggle London as a bartender.

Things had been going smoothly until that evening. By some miracle, Dudley had the evening off even though it had been a Friday. He was had been watching football on the telly while read the Daily Profit at the dining table when there was a loud knock on the door.

"Goddammit, if it's Percy again with another plumbing problem, I'll -" Eve growled and threw the paper down with disgust. She had gotten up and headed towards the door.

"Open up, bitch!" the voice shouted from the other side of the door. Eve froze, her face became as white as a sheet. The voice did not belong to Percy. Curious and concerned, Dudley turned off the telly.

With a shaking hand, his girlfriend unlatched the lock and cracked open the door. The person on the other side wasted no time in pushing her way in. Eve allowed the woman to stampede into their apartment, large suitcase and all.

"Three years! Three _fucking_ years!" the woman shouted, throwing down her suitcase. "No note, no call, nothing! I was worried sick about my best friend for so long that I've developed ulcers!"

The woman was focused on Eve, her curly brown hair bobbed as she yelled. She pointed a olive-skinned finger in his girlfriend's face, but Eve made no move to stop her. Dudley, however, had already gotten off the couch and approached the two. The woman had noticed his movement.

"Oh, hello there!" the stranger said sweetly, her voice devoid of anger, "Sorry to intrude on your evening, but I have a few bones to pick with girly here. So, you may just want to sit back down."

Dudley glared at her, but Eve had just nodded at him. Reluctantly, he returned to his place on the couch, but did not take his eyes off of them.

"Did you think I wouldn't care that you left to go on a suicide mission to England? Did you think I'd hate you for something you had no control over? Did. You. Think. I'd. Somehow. Love. You. Less?" her words had become choppy as her eyes filled with tears.

"And then. _Then_ after everything, you never came back. I heard about you in the papers after Britain's war and I waited for you to come back. You didn't even try to contact me…" At this point, the woman was sobbing. He could see the tears welling in Eve's eyes. Suddenly very aware that this situation was probably none of his business, Dudley snuck into the bedroom and closed the door.

It was near midnight when Eve finally opened the door. Dudley had been laying on the bed and staring at the ceiling. He had occasionally listened at the door to make sure the stranger hadn't murdered his girlfriend.

"Hey, you awake?"

"Nope, just sleeping with my eyes open," Dudley quipped, though realizing quickly that jokes were probably in poor taste at the moment.

"Oooh, I see why you like him now," the woman said, over Eve's shoulder. "He's just as sarcastic as you are," Dudley sat up.

"Is everything okay?" he asked. "Should I be concerned?"

"Everything's fine," Eve said with a nod. "Despite the fact that I've been a shitty friend, this crazy woman has somehow forgiven me."

"I'm Audrey, by the way," the woman said and wormed her way into the room. "Audrey Valdez, but you'll call me Drey." The woman was not asking, she was demanding that the nickname be upheld.

Dudley had tried to come up with something to say, but his words failed him.

"...Also, I'm crashing on your couch…. And, I'll be staying until my paperwork at the Ministry goes through. Hopefully, I'll have my quill-pushing job soon so I'll be able to get my own place."

Dudley rolled his eyes.

At that was how he was introduced to Eve's best friend.

* * *

 **December 11th, 2000**

Dudley was with Eve in Slug and Jiggers Apothecary that day. He often would pop in on her work early in the week, mostly because that was when he had his days off. Monday visits to the apothecary were commonplace.

He had been proud of himself for finding the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron faster than usual. Most of the time, it took him a few minutes to find the door, as it was invisible to him. To help himself find the door, Dudley had counted out the exact number of steps it took from the corner of the Muggle bookshop to the front doors of the wizard bar. The second obstacle was finding the door handle, it always seemed to be in a slightly different location, and it required a little more effort to open than most doors to prevent unsuspecting Muggles from accidentally opening it. He had to fish along the side of the brick wall with his hands like a desperate blind man. If Tom the barkeeper or his assistant Hannah saw him, they would let kindly let him in, but sometimes he'd have to find it completely on his own.

He happily relayed his door-finding techniques to his girlfriend, who was jotting down pricing orders today. Usually she was in the side room, brewing potions for the back wall shelves. Aside from potions ingredients, Slug and Jiggers had a small collection of commonly used potions for sale, (fever reducers, floor cleaners, things of that nature) but today she was up at the front counter, muttering to herself as she wrote. She apparently wasn't listening.

"Why don't you just set up the Floo Network in your home?" Mr. Slug asked upon listening to Dudley's story. Barnabas Slug was the fourth generational owner of the shop, (there had never been a Mr. Jiggers) and the last of his family line. He was a kindly old soul with sharp wits, and Eve seemed to like working for him. He was never bothered by Dudley's frequent visits. In fact, he seemingly enjoyed their conversations.

"We don't have a fireplace," Eve muttered from the counter. "Plus, it's incredibly expensive,"

"Ah. Well, that's too bad," Mr. Slug said, before he continued restocking the jars of gurdyroot.

The front door chimed, and the trio turned towards the door.

"Ugh! What a nightmarish afternoon!" Drey moaned as she stomped in. Dudley hadn't seen the woman since last week when she moved out of their apartment upon getting a job in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office. She had only had the job since the beginning of the month, but she already looked exhausted.

"Today we found a guy that jinxed a bunch of toilet paper to wrap Muggles up like mummies. There were no less than fifteen witnesses that had to have their memories modified. And, there is some weird, pink sticky stuff that is growing along the walls near the women's restrooms. We have place four work orders to have it removed in the past week with no response!" she ranted. Dudley watched Eve roll her eyes and smile.

" _And then,"_ Drey continued, "This guy from another department had the audacity to complain that our office was too loud when we were dealing with a batch of confiscated screaming kazoos. I almost punched him in his smug little face. What an asshat!"

"Sounds rough," Mr. Slug snicked from the back wall. He ignored Drey's angry glare.

"Did you just come to vent?" Eve asked her friend with another eyeroll.

"Well, no. I came to see if I could vent over drinks with you at the Leaky Cauldron. You're closing up soon, right?" Drey looked over at her with pleading eyes.

"Normally I'd love to hear your endless rants over alcoholic beverages," Eve smiled. "But tonight Dudley and I are grabbing drink with our friend Percy. I mean, you could join us - I'm sure Percy would love to rant with you - He works at the Ministry too," Dudley groaned inwardly at the suggestion; he wasn't sure if he could handle both Drey and Percy at the same time.

"Speak of the devil," Eve snorted just as the door chimed again. The two of them waved hello. Drey, however, was not so calm.

"You!" she shouted at Percy. "You're the jerk who complained about the kazoos!"

"I'm the jerk?!" Percy shouted back, quickly recovering from his shock. "You're the one who threatened to throw them in my department's office! That's misuse of Ministry property!"

"It's not like we had any control over the noise they were making! And it's not my fault that your office is right next to ours!"

The two continued arguing even as Mr. Slug had walked between them to turn the shop's sign to 'Closed'. He even chuckled in good humor at their display.

"Watch out for your friends there," the old shopkeeper whispered to Dudley and Eve. "My wife and I would argue like that when we first met. We used to hate each other!"

Dudley ignored this statement, as he was more focused on his growling stomach.

"Does this mean we're not going out for drinks and food?"

* * *

 **December 1st, 2002**

"I can't believe you guys are gettin hitched in a couple weeks," Eve said as she placed dinner in front of everyone. Percy and Drey beamed up at her. Dudley couldn't believe that Mr. Slug's prediction had been completely accurate.

"It's only been like what...two years since you first met?" Dudley asked, unsure as to exactly when the incident in Slug and Jiggers had taken place.

"Two years on the 11th," Percy pointed out. "We would have gotten married on the anniversary, but that would be on a Wednesday, so the 14th it is."

"Thank's for inviting us over for dinner, Eve." Drey added. "I love my mother in-law to be, but she's has gotten a little loco in the past few weeks. She's more focused on making our wedding perfect than we are!" She nudge Percy playfully. "And we haven't had time to cook recently."

"No problem," Eve said, placing down the perfectly browned chicken. "I mean, Dudley cooked it all. I just put it on the pretty dishes," The two thanked Dudley and he swelled with pride. He _was_ good with cooking.

They were halfway through their meal when Drey asked the question that they knew would eventually come up. They had been dreading it.

"When are you two getting married?" Drey asked as she helped herself to another scoop of mash. Percy cocked his head to the side, also curious. Dudley forced himself to swallow down the bit of chicken in his mouth.

"Do you want to tell them?" he asked Eve nervously.

"What?" Drey asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. Red faced, Eve cleared her throat before speaking.

"We got married back in August," Eve managed, visibly cringing.

"We were going to announce it at New Year's!" Dudley added, coming to his wife's rescue. "We didn't want to have a wedding, nor did we want to spoil your own celebration!"

There was a long silence as their friends stared at them.

"You guys are dorks."

Dudley was so surprised that those words came out of Percy's mouth that he couldn't help but laugh. The rest of the table dissolved into giggles.

"So when are you going to tell Petunia?" Percy snorted as he wiped a tear from his eye. "I doubt she'll be at our New Year's Party."

"At her funeral," Eve deadpanned. Dudley playfully elbowed his wife.

* * *

 **May 2nd, 2008**

It had been ten years since the Battle of Hogwarts.

For some reason, this year had been more painful than some of the prior anniversaries. He couldn't decide if it was because it made him feel old, or the fact that he still had nightmares about it as though it had happened last week.

So much had happened in those ten years. Many of their friends were married and had children. Luna had twin boys a few years ago, Percy and Drey had their second daughter last year. (Hell, the Weasley family was already full of grandchildren.) Even his cousin Harry - though they were only spoke to each other at Weasley holiday parties - had sent Dudley an announcement that Ginny had just had their third child. Yes, Dudley felt old.

Also unlike the other years - this year, Dudley and Eve attended the annual memorial service held on the ground of Hogwarts. By the end of it, Dudley was shaking with old memories. It was like reopening an old wound. Eve had been pretty distracted all day, Dudley had to repeat himself no less than three times when asking his wife what she had wanted for lunch because she was so distracted.

"All right," Dudley said the moment they walked through their front door after a long, tiring day. "What's up?" He knew his wife; she only acted this way when she was in deep thought over something important.

"You may want to sit down," she said after some thought, pointing to their couch. Dudley had been asked to do this before during a similar occurrence. Last time she had asked him to sit down, it was to tell him that she believed to have discovered a way to dramatically improve the quality of the Wolfsbane potion. She had been correct, of course. It had been certainly ground breaking, but not so mind-blowing that he had needed to sit down. Eve was a smart woman afterall, things like that happened from time to time.

"You can tell me while I make us a cuppa," Dudley insisted as he walked over to the kitchen. His mouth was parched and he needed some source of comfort after the Memorial. His wife was quiet as be began making preparing some tea.

"I'm pregnant."

Dudley dropped the teaspoon he was using to add sugar to his cup. It fell to the floor with a clank. He turned to stare at his wife, dumbfounded.

"Well, say something. Don't gape at me like I have a third eye."

"How…?" was all Dudley had managed. He really wished he had sat down when asked.

"Do we have to go over basic Biology?" Eve asked dryly, unamused by his reaction.

"No!" Dudley said, now quite flustered. He cleared his throat. "I mean… how long have you known?"

"Since yesterday," Eve sighed, "If I had to guess... I'd say six, maybe seven weeks along."

"This is - wow!" Words had escaped him once again. This had been a complete surprise; they had never really talked about having children. It was something that they would discuss briefly, then forget about when other, more pressing matters would come up.

"Are we...even ready to be parents?" Dudley asked. He sat down at the table next to his wife, and held firmly onto her hands.

"It's a little late to be asking that now," Eve whispered, squeezing his hands in return.

* * *

 **August 30th, 2008**

Percy had been elated the first time he heard that he was going to be a father. He and Drey had been a frenzy of energy and excitement when they burst into Dudley and Eve's London flat. The excitement had been contagious and he truly, honestly had been happy for them. And again when Drey had become pregnant again a little over a year later.

Dudley was more nervous than happy when he discovered that he was going to be a father and even more so when they discovered that they were having twins. Eve seemed to be just as on-edge as he was, as she had begun reading every parenting book that she could get her hands on.

"Trust me, you can't learn everything about parenting from a book," Percy had told Eve when they had stopped by for a visit. Eve had not been amused and promptly told him off. Percy had just shrugged, unbothered.

Today however, had been a surprise for Eve and Dudley. As the people at the door where not Percy and Drey or Rolf and Luna, their usual visitors. Today, Harry and Ginny Potter stood on their doorstep.

"Hey Dudley," Harry greeted "Is this a bad time?"

"No, not at all," Dudley lied. They had been painted the nursery a lime green color, the evidence of which was all over his shirt and trousers. He and Eve had decided to paint the room by hand, instead of using magic (with the exception of the highest parts of the wall that they couldn't reach without a step-ladder, but who was counting?). If it had been anyone else at his door, he would have turned them away or handed them a brush, but Harry had never been to his home before and he didn't want to turn down what might have been the only home visit his cousin would make.

After quickly and quietly arguing about the situation with Eve in the nursery, she finally agreed to take a break.

"So, what brings you by?" Eve had asked them in her most polite voice after Dudley had offered the Potters tea.

"We wanted to congratulate you. You must be so excited!" Ginny nodded to Eve. Eve smiled back, feigning interest. There was an awkward pause.

"Err..." Harry coughed. "I know we've never been close, Dudley," That had been quite an understatement in Dudley's mind. Though Harry said he had forgiven him for all those years at Number 4 Privet Drive, some things could not be forgotten, and a natural (but understandable) rift had been formed between them. Dudley had come to terms with that over the years.

They only saw each other once a year and it was almost always at the Weasley's annual Christmas Eve party, and even then they would just smile or exchange simple greetings. Most of their communication had been through Holiday cards. In fact, the last time that they had had an in-depth conversation was Harry had asked for Eve's blessing to name their second child Albus Severus. Eve, of course, had said that she did not care. Her only question was why anyone would give their child a name like Severus, even if it was to honor to the fallen...

"Well, we wanted to ask how you would feel about having family visits now and again. You, know. So our children can see their cousins," Harry said with a small smile.

Dudley knew that while it would be nice for their children to have regular contact with one another, it would probably be filled with the same uncomfortable atmosphere that surrounded them now. Then again, since both he and Eve were only children, their own kids would be without any first cousins. Perhaps it would be worth it.

"That sounds like a...very nice idea," Eve said with an approving nod. This time, her smile was genuine.

Yes. It was totally worth it.

* * *

 **December 24th, 2008**

Eve wasn't due for another week or so, so despite being almost nine months pregnant, the two of them decided to attend the Weasley's Christmas Eve party. So, as a sort of mini-holiday, they decided to take the long drive out to to St. Ottery Catchpole with a rental car (since apparition and the Floo Network were out of the question during Eve's pregnancy) where they would attend the Weasley Christmas Eve party, then spend the night and following morning at Luna's childhood home and drive to Surrey to celebrate Christmas with his mother. It seemed like a solid plan, though Dudley wasn't so sure about staying at the home of Xenophilius Lovegood (the man was far stranger than his daughter, border-lining creepy, but at least he seemed like a loving enough father and grandfather.)

The drive there had been uneventful and they had made it to the party right on time. Dinner had been beyond amazing. Mrs. Weasley had to be the best cook he had ever met. The party was large this year as kids, grandchildren, school friends of grandchildren, and family friends had all been invited. Most of the party was held outside under floating tents surrounded by heating spells to keep the area toasty warm. Dudley loved this type of magic. He was able to stay completely comfortable while watching the snow fall just inches away.

He had been talking to Arthur Weasley in the farthest corner of one of the tents. They watched the snowfall as Dudley did his best to explain the internet to a man who didn't even know how to pronounce 'electricity' correctly. Despite this, over the years Dudley had discovered why Eve held the man in such high regard. He was a kind man, and although he had several children, grandchildren, and friends, he took the time to speak to each and every single one of them. He always listened intently to what Dudley had to say, as though it were the most interesting thing he had ever heard. Arthur was someone he couldn't help but like.

During their conversation, Eve had walked over to them. Her stomach was large and round with their twins, causing a bit of a struggle to move. She beamed at the two of them.

"What are you guys talking about?"

Dudley had actually been very grateful that Eve had joined the conversation. Between the two of them, they had been able to explain the World Wide Web in a way that the older man could understand. He may not have grasped the innate details, but he seemed to have a strong understanding of the general concept.

The conversation had eventually moved on to other things and Eve laughed, smiled, and held her own part of the conversation for several minutes. Then she suddenly went quiet. Dudley quickly noticed her lack of input over the recent House Elf Payment Act, which she normally had much to to say about.

"Eve, are you okay?"

"I don't want to raise any alarms," Eve said slowly, "But I believe my water just broke,"

"What, now?! But, they're not due 'till the New Year!" Dudley whispered, trying to follow his wife's low-key panic.

"Children are ready when they're ready, Dudley," Mr. Weasley said in a very casual tone, like he was simply discussing the weather. Dudley figured that Arthur was a professional regarding this sort of thing; he did have seven children.

"Why don't we go inside? I'm sure Molly is with the young ones in the living room," the wizard suggested with the same calming tone. The only other person that would have more in-depth knowledge on a situation like this would be Molly Weasley. With frantic nods, they quickly and quietly made their way inside the Burrow.

Upon hearing their dilemma, Mr. Weasley was abuzz with excitement, even as Eve clutched her stomach from another contraction. Though she tried to emanate the same inconspicuous tone that Eve and Dudley were using, she failed miserably. Her whispers were far too loud and her manners to animated.

"Molly, dear," Arthur whispered, "I don't think they want to draw any attention to themselves.

"I'm sorry!" Molly said apologetically, "I'm just so excited for you. It will be a Christmas present for you both!"

"Is it too late to make an exchange?" Eve hissed in pain, this time she latched onto Dudley's with an iron grip. Dudley winced.

After Molly convinced then that they were too far from Saint Mungo's (or any other hospital) to drive and too far from the Lovegood house to walk, she escorted them upstairs to the master bedroom.

"Should I tell Drey?" he asked his wife in the bedroom. Molly was busily helping his wife get comfortable, after Mr. Weasley had flooed to Saint Mungo's to find a Healer.

"Yeah," Eve grumbled "She'd kill me otherwise...Especially since she's going to be their godmother,"

They had tried very hard to keep things a secret during the next few hours. So, naturally, the entire party knew within twenty minutes. Words were overheard and were spread like wildfire. Fortunately, everyone who had not been planning to stay the night at the Burrow had left with their congratulations to Dudley.

Those who were staying simply retired to the living room and kitchen. They made no fuss about the situation, and for that Dudley was grateful.

Mr. Weasley arrived with the Healer a little after ten o'clock at night. Which was fantastic timing, because the twins were born at 10:15 and 10:21. It had been a good call on Molly's part by insisting they stay at the Burrow, because it had been an unusually short labor.

All the anxiety, fear, and nervousness had been replaced with unmeasurable joy when he held his son and daughter in his arms.

Everything that Dudley had seen, everything that he had witnessed as a Muggle in the magical world felt like it lead up to that moment. He kissed his wife's forehead and she stirred slightly in her sleep. Dudley grinned.

And he wouldn't change it for the world.

* * *

A/N: One final chapter to go! Thank you all!


	30. Chapter 30

Epilogue: 22 Years Later

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of Number 327, Copenhagen Street, were proud to say that they were exceedingly strange, thank you very much. They were the first people you would expect to be responsible for all things strange and mysterious, because they were a strange family. Their surrounding neighbors found the entire Dursley family odd, but were mostly unbothered because the family was really more quirky and eccentric than frightfully off-putting, though none of them knew the extent of how strange that the family truly was.

Today was a particularly strange day, even for the Dursley's. It was 10:55 the morning of September first, and the Dursleys were running late. Very late. Usually, the family was on time for important engagements, especially for the arrival and departure of the Hogwarts Express. But, today, their alarm mysteriously neglected to go off, and after a late night of hunting down robes, books, and other school supplies hidden around the house, they had all slept in.

The family of four were a stampede of heavy footsteps and flailing limbs at King's Cross Station. Marigold Hestia was the leader of the frantic group, her yellow-trimmed robes in hand as she carted the hefty trolley behind her, her brother (Vernon Dedalus) followed behind, helping to steer the cart of luggage. Eve and Dudley barely managed to keep up with their children, nearly pushing their way through the crowded station. As they arrived at the entrance of Platform 9 ¾, Dudley had to tightly grip onto his wife's hand and close his eyes - at it was counterintuitive for him to run straight into a seemingly solid pillar of bricks.

Dudley's senses were hit with a blanket of sounds and feelings before he had even opened his eyes, the most worrying of which was the sound of the train's whistle. When he did finally open his eyes, he saw his children near the end of the train, they had pushed their way through the crowds of parents waving goodbye to their own children. Marigold was carting her trunk up the steps as Vernon helped her push it forward. He and Eve ran over to help.

Once the luggage was in the train's narrow hallway. Dudley managed a quick kiss on his daughter's cheek before she insisted that she had to move her things to a compartment.

"I gotta go dad," she scoffed, lightly pushing him away. She carefully straightened out her street clothing.

"Alright Goldie, I love you," Dudley responded with a smiled. His daughter made a face and Dudley rolled his eyes. While Marigold was a sweet and kind person, she could also be quite prickly about her appearance and had taken to the recent belief that both her parents were beacons of public embarrassment. Eve had told him not to worry, as she had gone through a very similar phase as a girl.

Despite this, she smiled up at him with her emerald-green eyes before hurrying off to find a place to put her belongings, her dark blonde hair waving as she moved. Vernon gave his dad a nod and followed his sister, helping her with her luggage.

The train whistle blew for a final time. Parents and children called to each other as the train started to slowly move down the tracks. Unlike the other parents that waved, Eve and Dudley began to follow the train in a bit of a panic, fearing it would leave the station before…

Just as the far end of the train was about to leave the confines of the station, Vernon jumped from the last door, managing to land on his feet. His lanky, black hair hung in his face as he took a few jagged breaths. Eve and Dudley both signed in relief.

"Phew," Vernon chuckled, dusting himself off. "That could have been awkward; Hogwarts wouldn't know what to do with me!"

"Hey now," Dudley reassured, "You would make a brilliant Hogwarts student!"

"Yeah, but I'd be rubbish at practicals!" Vernon laughed, tucking a dark lock behind his ear. Eve shook her head with a smile and gave him a half-hug.

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley had been worried when only one Hogwarts letter had arrived to the Dursley's London home nearly two years ago, though Dudley and Eve had suspected that their son lacked the magic of his sister; he had never made toys fly or make vegetables disappear during dinner when he was little. Dudley had been afraid that Vernon would feel… somehow less than his twin. Neither he nor his wife wanted their son to feel as though he was missing out on the opportunities his sister was going to have. There had been disappointment and quite a few tears, but after a few weeks they encouraged their son to pursue his own interests. His son may not be able to turn teacups into mice, but he was incredibly bright. While his sister was a hardworking Hufflepuff at Hogwarts, Vernon currently attended a prestigious secondary school in London where his talents outshined many of his peers.

"Cutting it close Dursleys," the familiar voice of Percy Weasley sounded from behind them. The family stopped, waiting for their friends to catch up with them.

"I saw you jump from the train, great reflexes, Vern!" Drey laughed, hugging her godson. Vernon made a face.

"Don't you have school?" Percy asked their son.

"My teachers know I'm taking the time to see my sister off to school...They just don't where!" He answered before sticking out his tongue in annoyance. The Dursleys, of course, were not worried about their son's lack of attendance on his second day of school; he would easily make up the work.

"We're heading out for a bite to eat at the Leaky Cauldron before work," Drey explained to them as they walked back towards the entrance, "Would you like to join us?"

Dudley looked over to his wife, who was now studying her watch. She let out a thoughtful hum before answering.

"Yeah, alright," she finally responded, "I guess we can open the shop a little late," After Mr. Slug went into retirement, he gave his practice to Eve, since she had been a valued employee for years and Barnabas Slug had no heirs. Eve now ran Slug and Jiggers Apothecary and Dudley assisted her with the brewing.

"So what are you studying at your school?" Percy asked the Dursley boy as the two families walked out of the platform together.

"Well, not much at the moment; lessons just started yesterday. I think Chemistry might be interesting though...it seems a lot like Potions. After all, lots of chemists use their knowledge for Muggle medicine. I hope I'll be good at it."

"I'm sure you will be," Percy nodded with approval.

Dudley smiled to himself as they left King's Cross, he couldn't be more proud of both of his children. He loved his strange life that mixed his Muggle upbringing with the world of magic, it was far from perfect, but he was happy. All was well.

* * *

A/N: That's it. We're all done here. I started this fic in 2011. I have changed several aspects from the original story, so much that I had deleted the old story and replaced it with refurbished chapters. It has been something that has been eating at me to finish for the past five years, and now I have completed it! It feels really good. Thank you all for following this story, for your comments, and for the words of encouragement. I'm actually a little sad that Eve and Dudley's story is over - but again, I am happy with the results.

Again, thank you all! I hope this story has been a good read for you or an inspiration for your own writing.


	31. Snippets

A/N: These are just moments, ideas, and bits of information that I wanted to exist in this storyline, but they either didn't flow well enough with the storyline or the epilogue to include them directly. But, I still want them to be known. There is no timeline or anything, so snippets do jump around...

* * *

Snippets

Petunia Dursley could never fully accept the world of magic, though she eventually resigned to the fact that her son fell in love with a witch. The child of man she could never forgive, no less! When the reluctantly announced their marriage to her, Petunia was enraged, but not at all surprised. Somehow, though, she got over it.

She could never say that she grew to love or admire her daughter in law, but she did have a level of respect for Eve's practical nature and ability to keep a clean home. Though she never would admit it, she knew Dudley could have done worse.

However, Petunia loved both of her grandchildren to the moon and back. Her love for them was something so powerful that even the likes of magic couldn't taint it.

* * *

Eve would not visit her father's grave the night of May 2, 1998, nor any other second of May, as many memorial visitors would do out of respect.

Every January 9th, on Severus Snape's birthday, Eve would apparate just outside the grounds of Hogwarts and trudge her way through the Scotland snow in the dead of night. She would clear away the snow in front of the grave and sit there for several hours. Some years she would sit in silence, others times she would talk to the biting air around her. Eve didn't hold much stock in the existence of an afterlife, but she figured that if there was one, her voice might be heard, if not...well, it's not like grave would tell anyone that she was talking to herself.

Eve could never figure out why she visited his grave, it's not like they had really known each other. But she did it every year.

She told no one about these visits.

* * *

Dudley knew he loved Eve the night they fought for their lives during the Battle of Hogwarts, when he realized how much she really meant to him.

Eve realized she loved Dudley the day he discovered that she was related to Severus Snape, when his reaction nearly broke her heart.

* * *

 **Dudley and Eve visited the location of Marigold Cabin once during their short time away from the magical world.**

They had expected debris, charred remains, rubble to sift through. After all, it had been less than a year since that awful Christmas morning. They were both stunned to find an empty field in front of them when Eve apparated them onto the grounds. Dudley would have thought that Eve had somehow transported them to the wrong location, but there was no mistaking the striking orange flowers that swayed despite a lack of wind.

The marigolds had multiplied exponentially, covering the area where the cabin had once been with a floral blanket. The place they had stay in for months had been replaced with a mass of magical orange. The pair of them forged their way through the flowers, trying to find some remains, anything that to prove that Marigold Cabin had existed. They found nothing.

A fair distance away from the small field of marigolds, there was a very small patch of the orange flowers that danced near the woods. Eve and Dudley stared at the spot, unsure of what to say or do.

They eventually sat down on the tiny hill that overlooked the field of flowers. Eve stared at marigolds, Dudley chose to gaze up at the sky. They were silent for well over an hour.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Eve finally said just as the sun began descending towards the west horizon. The setting sun gave the flowers a deep, eerie crimson color.

"Yeah," Dudley said with a shiver.

They left the grounds of Marigold Cabin just as the first hint of the moon appeared in the sky. They never returned there.

* * *

"So?!" Fifteen year old Vernon Dursley asked his twin sister the second she got off of the Hogwarts Express for the winter holiday. "Did you collect any data?" He prodded as he assisted his sister with her trunk.

"Yeah yeah," Marigold scoffed, rolling her eyes at her geeky brother. She refused to elaborate about her findings until they had moved away from the other students exiting.

"Where are mum and dad?" she asked, knowing that her deviation from her notes annoyed her brother.

"Still at the shop," Vernon huffed, "They had a large shipment of live Bowtruckles to deal with."

"Good," the girl said, flipping her hair out of her face. "I was afraid mum would shout at me the second I got off the train because of my Charms scores."

Vernon made a strangled sound of anxiety, uninterested in her dilemma.

"Your data, Goldie. Please!" he nearly whined. He came to a halt, refusing to move further. Marigold stopped alongside her brother and sighed as she reached into her book bag and rummaged through its contents. She handed him a green folder stuffed with bits of parchment and lined paper. She pulled out another object. It was a small, ancient handheld Game Boy with strange wires and board attachments that her brother had added to it.

"Everything I could think of is in there," she said with a hint of pride. "Locations from the edge of Hogwarts, to the top of the Astronomy tower... I even tested the girls loo! I recorded locations at multiple times of day, different days. It actually turned on once for a few seconds when I was in Binn's history class, and everyone heard it!" she flushed with embarrassment at the memory. "It only stayed on only long enough for the logo to pop up, then it died. I haven't been able to repeat it since."

"You're brilliant, Goldie! Really, the best!" Vernon grinned, leafing through her notes. "These are really detailed; you've got the record-keeping skills of a scientist!" His sister basked in his praise.

"Yeah," she said smoothly "I know."

Her brother Vernon had gained an interest in the interactions between Muggle electronics and the magical world. Electronics never worked in magical surroundings; their mom had to be careful around the telly and computer every time she would cast a spell. Her brother had become interested in fixing this issue. The idea of wizards using cellphones and computers was laughable, almost impossible to imagine. But, if anyone could make it possible, it would be her brother (not that she would tell him that directly; it wasn't like his ego needed any more inflating.) Her brilliant brother needed her help; her access to the most magical place in Britain would provide valuable information that he could not gather himself. She was willing to do anything she could to help him succeed.

"I'll make sure mum doesn't go off on you too much," Vernon reassured his sister as they continued to walk off the platform, his eyes still glued to her notes.

"Thanks."

"I also won't tell her that I saw you snogging Frank Longbottom on the train…"

With that, Marigold promptly slugged her twin.


End file.
